Jeanni McCombs

McCombs, D-251, was a pioneering American skydiver in an era when women were a rarity on the nation’s DZs. Over her lifetime, she made 2,985 jumps. Only the fourth woman to earn a D license, she organized many woman’s formation skydiving records (back when it was called “relative work” and rounds were called “stars”).

McCombs was a fixture at the USPA National Championships, competing every year from 1961 through 1980. She earned a slot on the U.S. Women’s Team that competed in style and accuracy at the Féderátion Aéronautique Internationale World Parachuting Championships in Orange, Massachusetts in 1962, as well as the 1963 Adriatic Cup at Potoroz, Yugoslavia. But McCombs contributions to skydiving went far beyond the DZs. She formed numerous women’s exhibition teams and took great joy in doing demos into colleges, schoolyards, rodeos, county fairs, shopping centers, beaches, rock concerts, the Olympic Trials and even Soledad State Prison. From 1971 through 1980, her demo team, the Stardusters, opened up every event at the Reno Air Races.

She died young, on the day after her 50th birthday. “My mother would be more than honored that she is now being inducted into the Hall of Fame,” said Lisa McCombs Gardner. “She was an inspiration to other women (and men) who became passionate about the sport, including her daughter!”