Greetings,

            Re: Lt. Colonel Ronald Keith Rosepink, USAF, Retired;
                  July 28, 1956 - June 28, 2003.

            Yesterday, Saturday, June 26, 2004, I attended the Memorial Services for our missing friend, Ron Rosepink, at the Memorial Chapel, Edwards Air
Force Base.
            
            The services were very moving, included an impressive Color Guard Presentation, and ended with a pair of USAF jet fighters doing a flyby over the Chapel.

            Kari Sample, Ron's sister, delivered a very interesting and enlightening "Reflections of Ron" which included her quotation describing Ron:
            "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one
             can go."  by: T. S. Eliott

            Balloonists Gary Burgess was also there with his wife.  Burgess was the gentleman who gave Ron his first balloon piloting instructions.

            After the services, Francis J. "Fuzzy" Zeller hosted the reception at Zuzzy's home in Rosamond.  Ron spent a lot of his SoCal time at Zuzzy's home -- working on Ron's van -- etc.  Ron had been giving Fuzzy lessons to obtain a balloon rating -- in addition to Fuzzy's many other ratings [ATP -- multiple engine land and glider].

            Mike Brazil, from Tulare, CA., Ron's crew member for The Great Reno Balloon Race since 1995 was at the services.

            The Search and Recovery Mission goes on!

            During the reception I was able to spend a very interesting time with Michael Patrick, Deputy Sheriff and Pilot for the Kern County Sheriff's Department.  Mike is now in charge of the Sheriff's continuing effort to locate evidence of Ron's fate.  Mike and the Sheriff's Department are interviewing witnesses -- again and again --  interviewing property owners and others in the area -- revising their theories of Ron's last flight -- analyzing flights of other paragliders -- conducting aerial and ground searches -- and more.  Mike states that the ID of Ron's paraglider [wing] has been entered into the national crime database.  If the wing is ever sold, pawned, on uncovered in any criminal case, that will lead to further investigation that may produce information as to where the wing was found.

            Debbie Rosepink is truly a very gallant and gracious lady who has been dealing with the challenging tasks going on with her life and that of their family with no legal determination of Ron's fate.

            Several of Ron's Air Force Academy class mates and Air Force Flight Test buddies were there including Jim Halsell, currently a NASA Space Shuttle Commander and one of the last pilots to fly the SR-71 Blackbird across county to be retired at the National Air and Space Museum.

            I was surprised to learn that several of Ron's buddies [test pilots and, etc.] also have hot air balloon ratings.

                        Gary Bruce Eaton