Landracing Forum

Misc Forums => Health, Welfare, and Passings => Topic started by: Glen on March 09, 2009, 05:22:20 PM

Title: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Glen on March 09, 2009, 05:22:20 PM

Racing & safety equipment pioneer Jim Deist passed away this morning. Having known Jim for over 50 years and using all of his equipment as well as working with him at the drags and Bonneville it is hard to put into words what a major loss this is. He will be missed and never forgotten. :-(

God Speed Jim Deist

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: maguromic on March 09, 2009, 05:27:48 PM

This is a shocker. :cry:  I was just talking to him last month.

God Speed my friend.  Tony

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Stainless1 on March 09, 2009, 05:48:53 PM

Very sad day for all racing enthusiasts, Jim kept a lot of us safe over the years  :cry:
God Speed Jim...

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: desotoman on March 09, 2009, 05:53:50 PM

Sorry to hear of Jim's passing. My condolances to the Family.

Tom G.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: DahMurf on March 09, 2009, 06:18:08 PM

What an incredible loss to the racing community as a whole. Our condolences to the many many people that knew him well.
Debbie & Todd

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: manta22 on March 09, 2009, 07:24:29 PM

I was fortunate enough to get his advice a few years ago on how to attach a parachute to my car. Godspeed, Jim.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: McRat on March 09, 2009, 07:49:43 PM

Without Jim's help at Speed Week last year, we would have had to pack it up.  Our window net wasn't cutting it with tech, and Jim dug around in his truck until he and found us a "super-size" window net and mount.

God Speed Jim. :-(

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: 1212FBGS on March 09, 2009, 08:06:00 PM

I tried to call him a couple of weeks ago and couldnt get an answer... then this morning about 11 i remembered "shoot i gotta call Jim" and even made a note so i could get with him this week..... Bummer another great loss of history, information, and help....
kent

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Low Sodium on March 09, 2009, 09:27:42 PM

Somehow, the world is not quite the same anymore without men like Jim Deist. I'm proud to display his name on my parachute. Godspeed, Jim!
Willi

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Bville701 on March 09, 2009, 09:54:58 PM

A very sad day in racing indead. Jim has done many things for our sport. He will be greatly missed. Godspeed Jim.   :cry:

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Howard on March 09, 2009, 10:02:42 PM

So sorry to hear of Jim's passing. He had a wealth of knowledge about safety equipment and shared it freely. He helped me so many times I can't recall them all.
He called me "the gila monster" from Arizona. Condolences to his wife and family. I am sorry now that I did not keep in touch better after I quit running the car.
Howard Nafzger

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: willieworld on March 09, 2009, 11:05:49 PM

So sorry to hear of Jim's passing. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. Gods speed Jim.

Willie and Sheri Buchta

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Brian Westerdahl on March 09, 2009, 11:08:46 PM

  I am very sorry to hear of Jims passing.  He was a great guy to just sit and talk to he had so much expierence in safety you could always learn something talking to him and he was very happy to help in anyway he could.  I had to send my fire suit back and have it altered and when it came back you could not tell where they had added 2 inches to it.   He had a couple of Peach trees in his back yard and we would talk Peaches every year when I would see him.  It was fun.  God Bless him and God Bless to his family.  Brian #7796

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Freud on March 09, 2009, 11:17:03 PM

He was the first man to ever give me a B'ville shirt. I think we should reproduce it for B'ville 2009. I had talked to him about that. Maybe we owe it to him.

Wouldn't it be something to send the family a shot of the early shirt (probably about 1965 or '66) with 100 people wearing it the first day of B'ville ?

I'll dig out the image and post it. We could do that and pay tribute to him and his dedication to all racers.

I'll bet Frank and John would approve.

This shot was from Gas Up  2008

FREUD

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: interested bystander on March 09, 2009, 11:29:38 PM

Jim's efforts from day one with Landspeed 'chutes no doubt saved lives and set the standards for high landspeed retardation.

Yrs truly remembers him working out of his driveway in the early days, and of course. the old Irving Air Chute building  Diest occupied -although a bit of a firetrap, should be declared some sort of historical site.

Passing of a motorsports giant.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: AJR192 on March 10, 2009, 12:27:18 AM

Makes me glad I was able to say hi to him at Speedweek and introduce my boy to him. Another hero gone.... Godspeed Mr. Diest.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: PorkPie on March 10, 2009, 07:09:37 AM

With Jim another human giant from the salt passed away....he was in the same line as Bob Higbee, Don Vesco, Nolan White, Carl Heap.........

I hope they let him make his last walk in his trademark......

the blue workman dress and the cigar...........

My heart is with his family and all his friends who will miss him, so as I do............

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: High Gear on March 10, 2009, 11:43:14 AM

Jim was always ready to help a racer in need. He certainly helped Team Arrow on more than one occasion. I will miss talking to him this year.

Best wishes to the Deist family.

Godspeed Jim

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: mercflyer on March 10, 2009, 11:51:15 AM

An honour to have met the man. He has helped us out every year. One year I asked him for a hat and he gave me the one on his head. Best wishes to his family.  Godspeed Jim.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: John Noonan on March 10, 2009, 12:06:58 PM

Rest in peace MR. Deist..

J

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: bradc6 on March 10, 2009, 02:40:56 PM

Another legend passes. RIP.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Bret Kepner on March 10, 2009, 08:48:22 PM

Perhaps the greatest epitaph might be the acknowledgement that one man's life saved so many others.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Cuder on March 10, 2009, 09:21:55 PM

Rest in Peace, our condolances to his family.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Glen on March 13, 2009, 03:30:20 PM

Service's for Jim are posted on the SCTA web site under health & wellfare.

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Tom Shannon on April 13, 2009, 11:09:20 PM

Heres some photos from Jims Memorial at NHRA Museum
Thanks to We Did It For Love site:
http://www.wediditforlove.com/Deist-Memoriam.html

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: floydjer on January 28, 2010, 07:21:00 PM

Just saw this....www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRH-Z6Lbjvs

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Stainless1 on March 22, 2022, 11:24:16 PM

Yes I know Jim has been gone a dozen years... but just got this little reminder from another LSR legend... he and one of the guys on this site built the fastest.... oh it still is... rocket car in the world.  It's long, but worth the watch... even if it's again
https://vimeo.com/690746221

Title: Re: Jim Deist passes
Post by: Scott on March 23, 2022, 01:58:41 PM

Thanks for posting.   SB