The Legend of D B Cooper 
Death by Natural Causes

The old cliché, opposites attract, is probably the reason for the longevity of our marriage. Ron grew up in the Home of Peace Cemetery in Los Angeles, California where his father was the caretaker. He joined the Air Force at the age of 17 and was stationed at McChord AFB, Washington. While stationed there, he met and married Pat. Pat led a more normal life, growing up in Tacoma, Washington. She was a student at Stadium High School when they met.

Pat was the quiet, studious type, so it was a surprise to all who knew them when they decided to marry during the summer break between Pat’s junior and senior year. Pat was 17, Ron was 19. Their first child, their daughter Tammy was born two months after Pat’s graduation in 1965. Their second child, their son Ron, was born two and one half years later.

Ron is a retired Project Manager who worked as an aircraft mechanic. He spent six and one half years on Active Duty and retired from the Air Force Reserves after twenty years. He has a current commercial pilot’s license with a multi-engine rating and still owns the airplane that he flew when we knew Barb.

Pat was a stay at home mom who continued her education while the children were in junior high and high school. She worked as a Systems Analyst before becoming the Help Desk Manager for Lynden Incorporated, a midsize transportation and logistics company.

Pat and Ron feel the years they spent with Barb as their friend were the most exciting and fun years of their lives. They continue to miss her quick wit and sarcastic sense of humor to this day.

Ron’s sense of adventure and love of flying brought this story into their lives. Pat’s sensitivity and understanding made her a natural for Barb to share many of her innermost thoughts. The combination of these two opposite personalities allows for telling the story the way Barb would have wanted it to be told.

They have been pushed out of their comfort zone by being interviewed by numerous radio stations. They did a presentation at the 40^th Anniversary National Symposium of D B Cooper.

The Cooper mystery may never be solved. The FBI only has a partial DNA sample on the tie Cooper wore and there is no guarantee that the DNA on the tie actually belonged to Cooper. The glass that D B Cooper was drinking from was washed by the airlines, thus there is no way to get DNA or finger prints from it, and the cigarette butts were lost.

The only things that Pat and Ron know 100% about the case is that, no matter how hard they try, they cannot prove that Barbara was not the skyjacker, and that Barb could very easily have pulled it off.

Whatever happens with the Cooper investigation, Pat and Ron have the satisfaction of knowing they have done everything they could to tell the story of Barb’s life as she requested. They have kept their promise.