SonexBuilders.net

Like a lot of Sonex builders, we met Jeremy, Kerry, John and Betty through a workshop. They didn't bat an eyelid when we brought a 8 month old along. Later, we got to know Heather, Mark and many of the other wonderful people that hang out in WI. We may see them infrequently, but these folks changed our lives... and I am not understating that. So on to my point.

I got to see and deal with Jeremy as a customer, but I saw an awful lot of him when we were going hell for leather to stick a big battery in the front of Waiex. If I was to give a beatles analogy, Jeremy, John and Pete Buck were John, Paul, and George (in no particular order) and probably Ringo as well. I was Frida, the fan club secretary, but boy it was just amazing to be in the same room as those guys. It didn't get old and it still doesn't. Without embarrassing anyone, that is a bucket of different personality types, but the end result was just astonishing. Jeremy wasn't just a wonderful and incredibly funny human being, but he was a great engineer too. He put up with me nerding the crap out of him with out complaint and he was just wonderful to work with. He was always just incredibly enthusiastic. Put me to shame. If he had a fault, his attempts at an Australian accent were truly horrible, but that could have been fixed with more time.

As I was apt to remind them lest they forget, these guys and girls are in the business of making dreams come true, sometimes dreams you didn't know you had. We all work at what we do as if it means something, but I really think helping us to build these little airplanes means something. It is a recreational activity, but it is a life changing one and all of it for the better. All of the team at Sonex are responsible for that and Jeremy was out the front of it.

I am trying to stay upbeat here (which is hard), but Kate is what Rose's grandmother would have called Jeremy's "half orange". As noted by other folk, his love of family was huge. He was amazing with kids. When Rose was looking for photos to post on facebook, every single picture has him smiling like he had won the lottery. To badly misquote my wife, he did as much in his short life than a group of 10 less interesting people.

It is tremendously sad, but boy I am so pleased that he was on this planet. I am so pleased that all of the folk up in WI are there too.

Whenever I think of him, I see I smiling face.

AP
Sonex #618

The Sonex smile!

Jake

:-) Exactly.

I attended the spring 2008 builders workshop and that was my first exposure to the Sonex Gang.
After the shops came to a close I pulled out my checkbook with full intent to buy a conventional geared Sonex kit.
As fate would intervene, my phone rang and it was my boss. The building where I worked collapsed under 5' of snow in N. Idaho.
I took that as a message to go home and think this out.
While at the builders workshop, I was approached by both John and Jeremy as they watched me mangle metal and bang out a mini-wing section. I was having fits with the setting rivets part of the deal. Jeremy came by and showed me how to finesse and not mangle the rivets. At the same time he was helping he was selling. John came by and asked me why I was building the straight tail when I could be different and build the Waiex. Prior to that point I had never given the Waiex serious consideration. After much pushing and prodding, I layed down my check some 15 days later.
Over the period of the 3 yr build I had numerous occasions to speak with Jeremy and there were the exchanges of ideas, and why this was done like this and that was done like that. KISS principle mostly. Jeremy was always keen to listen and showed interest in others likes and dislikes.
After completion of my Waiex; I like many couldn't resist the opportunity to suggest improvements and add ons. Jeremy seemed to resisit this will all his best intentions. Being a sales guy all my life, I couldn't understand his reluctance to sell things to people that were chasing him with credit card in hand. Me for one!
When the chances allowed I was pushing for hydraulic brakes, the bigger tailwheel idea that Kip Laurie so successfully pushed forward and Sonex adopted at a later point.
I, like many respected so much, Jeremy's openness, friendliness and willingness to hear out your thoughts. He must have had the patience of a saint.
When I started on my Auto-pilot install from Dynon, it was common to exchange pictures of the Sonex factory install and comparing that to my Beta install of the new Dynon system. I remember how Jeremy's engineering background always managed to question the reasoning behind a particular way of doing things. It was a great interaction and I will always feel gratitude towards the man for always having an open mind. I believe Jeremy wanted his company to flourish with quality products. I think to that degree he and John have succeeded.
I wish the best for Sonex the company, by which, I mean the employees. How can anyone ever express their thoughts to a grieving family? I can only say my condolences to the Monnett family and especially, Jeremy's wife and small children.
Jeremy's contributions were many but, I feel personally, his biggest contribution was his ability to steer a company successfully forward without loosing site of the fact that the customer is central to that success.
He will definitely be missed and I have every confidence the staff at Sonex can pick up and move forward in a very capable way.
Godspeed Jeremy!

Larry Engert
Waiex 121YX