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94 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, May 26, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Britt Festival Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Biz Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 13, 2005 LLOYD ‘BUD’ TIMMONS MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1948 By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Lloyd "Bud" Timmons was a track star who could fly — literally. Whether as a member of a record-setting Medford High relay team or as a young pilot over the Rogue Valley and, later, around the world, he made haste. "As a kid, I was just always interested in flying," says the 75-year-old Timmons, who lives in Brookings with his wife of nine years, Darlene. He remembers getting his first plane ride from Tommy Culbertson, a colonel in the reserve, at age 6. "I was hooked," says Timmons. "I vowed then that I would fly airplanes, and I did." Timmons, who did four tours of Viet Nam, had a 20-year career in the Air Force. He logged 13,000 hours of flying time and flew more than 450 combat missions. Sometimes, things got hairy. Advertisement "A lot of times," says Timmons. "But you’d always just say, ‘If I ever get this thing on the ground, I’m never flying again.’ Then the next thing you know, you’re up flying again the next morning." Combat wasn’t the only time flying got dicey. He also logged 4,000 hours of weather time. "I flew over Oshima Island in Japan for almost a year before I ever saw it," says Timmons. "That was kind of unique." Timmons retired in 1972 and went into business as a massage therapist, which he did until 1997. He learned the craft in the service to help fight soreness and fatigue from long missions. That therapy might have come in handy when he was starring for Medford. Timmons was an occasional starter at fullback and left halfback on the Black Tornado football team and ran track. In football, he remembers the talented teams of the era, the tough players and the tougher coaches, like head man Bill Bowerman and assistant Ed Kirtley. Kirtley would "straighten us out in no uncertain terms," says Timmons. Along with Bowerman, "They would flat get in your nest, and it was a good thing. I condone that very highly." Maybe that’s why Timmons and Co. ran so fast for Bowerman’s track team. As a senior, Timmons ran the anchor leg on the 880-yard relay team that set an all-time state-meet record of 1:31.2, a mark that stood for 10 years. Timmons honed his flying skills after high school, serving for a time as a crop duster. He married the former Doris Matheus, and they had two children in their 28-year marriage. She now lives in Texas. He’s fighting emphysema and doesn’t get out as much as he’d like, "But you do with what you’ve got," says Timmons. "And you enjoy life." Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Advertisement s