Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. They were naturally a bit crazy in various ways and all that meeting with The Who did was light the fuse. Send flowers. Moore estimated the car was traveling at 70 to 90 mph before the accident. All gone. He was preceded in . That anthem-turned-albatross began life as a wistful love song about a man who was trying to extricate himself from a claustrophobic relationship. Copyright 2017 puresouthernrock.com All rights reserved. There used to be a stop sign at this corner fastened to a four-by-four post stuck in the ground. Failed to report flower. He grew up in Shantytown [the rough and tumble West Side of Jacksonville]. She invited me to the Van Zant house and introduced to sons Donnie and Johnny. I always knew something bad would happen to them after I left, the guitarist recalled. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Burns, whod been playing poorly and suffering Van Zants wrath regularly, freaked and tossed the hotels beloved resident cat out his fourth floor window, making for a grisly kitty cat splat outside the establishments front door. But there was a lot of confidence with the pilot, Walter. She was thrown from the car when it veered into a ditch, hit a concrete culvert and landed on its roof before rolling onto its wheels. Debra 'Deb' Jean Dahlin. What set him off? 1935 - 2023 Mike Wayne Wolfe, age 87, passed away on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. I said, Yes, of course. While I was talking to him I felt this strange feeling and I heard this word, Wait. My spirit was talking to me. Region. Someone pulled a knife. Collins, however, apparently loathed ReedI think he assumed Reed was gayand flung the Rickenbacker at me. I remember we were on the bus and Ronnie would be lying there with two pieces of raw meat on his eyes, and hed wear sunglasses during the show. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Published by Tampa Bay Times on Jan. 14 . A system error has occurred. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Jittery types like to avoid the still waters of Lake Delancy, one of Van Zants favourite fishing spots, where people have claimed to have spotted his ghost, dressed in black and striding purposely towards the water with the yellow cane fishing pole he was buried with tucked under his right arm. Allen was great. Please reset your password. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. About the height of a car bumper. Patsy Lorraine Sherriff February 1, 2023 (64 years old) View obituary. I said Allen, please dont get on that plane. He said, Jo, its funny youd mention that, because I was looking out the window yesterday and I saw fire come out of the wing. [When I heard about the crash] the first thing I thought was, God saved my life. The Lord gave me that dream to warn me, and I did the only thing I could do and warned them. Em were my burf-control pills. Allen grins like the Cheshire Cat and shrugs. Reynolds says Larkin told him both Collins and Watts were ejected out the passenger side and that Collins went out the windowbeforeWatts. There was not another scratch on him, except a small bruise the size of a quarter at his temple.. This sweltering shed, which quickly earned the nickname Hell House, became the boot camp where Van Zant moulded his raw recruits into musical men. Were all embarrassed for him. The Beginning. Allen Collins life went on a slope from there. Debra was born April 19, 1955, to Max and Ellen House Watts in Durango, Colorado. Fist fights, premonitions and a plane that fell from the sky. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Debra Jean (Louisville, Kentucky), who passed away on March 31, 2022. In 1986, Mr. Collins's car ran off a road and crashed into a culvert, paralyzing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend, Debra Jean Watts. Hed as soon smack you in the face as sit down and discuss something at great length. . Three members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, back-up singer Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash Oct. 20, 1977. He grabs a piece of cake and hurls it at the birthday girl, who doesnt know about the pie-in-the-face tradition. It was clear to most people who knew him that it was not safe to get into a vehicle with Collins, even if he wasnt driving. Debra Watts Lizama, 31, who lived with Collins, was killed in the accident, said Mike Kee, a police spokesman. But you better be right. I think it was because he lived hard every day and anyone who does that like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix is gone by the time theyre 28 or 29. Liked it? Mary May I Should I Say Something to an Alleged Abuser. Because people just steal them the same day. It doesnt hurt and freak me out like it used to, but its in the back of my mind and hard all that day. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. We then went to the hospital and saw all the other people who were hurt. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. The bearded octogenarian was slumping heavily in his La-Z-Boy Recliner. Jean was a Huntsville native and the eldest daughter of Vastus and Milton Cummings. We go into the rehearsal room; Collins is there with a beautiful sunburst Rickenbacker. Collins and Reynolds drove up from Jacksonville to see us on a Saturday. Sign Up. He knocked Billys teeth out, remembered Judy Van Zant Jenness, Van Zants widow. Take a second to support The Jitney on Patreon! Thats superstitious bollocks., When the crash happened, Powell said. While sitting in the passenger seat, Collins enjoyed scaring the hell out of driversand anyone else in the car. Try again later. I have to say I went into shock when Ronnie died, says Judy Van Zant Jenness. He chose Randall Hall, who had been in the Allen Collins Band, as his replacement. But one thing that sticks out in my mind, is the time I got a call from my tour manager and he said there was some trouble at a place they were staying. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Failed to delete memorial. I told him that it was the strongest thing I had seen a man do., Lacy Van Zant always insisted he warned his son not to get on that plane. Because none of the reconstituted band members can write a song that can get near to anything Van Zant ever wrote. When we were in Japan and Jack Daniels was $75 a bottle, Ronnie said, Im buying. Featured Obituary. But before that, he went up to Honkette Jo Jo Billingsley, and did something that unnerved her. Debra Watts Lizama, 31, who lived with Collins, was killed in the accident, said Mike Kee, a police spokesman. Gary and Allen werent ready.. Obituary Headlines, View current celebrity deaths on Legacy.com. In 1986, Collins' car ran off a road and crashed into a culvert, paralyzing him from the waist down and killing his girlfriend, Debra Jean Watts. This browser does not support getting your location. Drag images here or select from your computer for Debra Jean Watts Lizama memorial. Can you imagine all these women sitting around a table in the house and none of them knowing if their husbands were alive or dead after theyd been in this plane crash? Fuck you, Allen! the audience roars in unison. No longer able to play guitar, Collins' career was over. His voice caught somewhere between a laugh and a cough. Why? There is a huge dent in the trunks lid. Word got around, and the place was packed with Skynyrd fans. You buncha fuckin punks, he rails. Resend Activation Email. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Before 10 minutes had passed, Gary Rossington had joined Van Zant at the bottom of a bloody heap and the singer suffered facial injuries that required he wear sunglasses onstage. 56, of Port Richey passed away January 8, 2018. I had to hold it up for him and fasten his strap (see photo). Howd that happen? I ask. People named Debra Watts. Thats what destroyed him, Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell (who died in 2009) told interviewer Marley Brant. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The reason Collins needed a chauffeur was because hed had his license revoked and was not allowed to drive. It broke up in 1982. We have set your language to Immediate Family: Daughter of Horace Lionel WATTS and Arlena Ann Miller. Peter Rudge, whom I worked for, was a tough guy too. He wanders over to a table where there is a birthday cake set out. I just couldnt help but try to imagine the horror of the scene. She was thrown from the car when it veered into a ditch, hit a concrete culvert and landed on its roof before rolling onto its wheels. BA1 1UA. You could hear it in the antebellum taunt of Sweet Home Alabama, to the prosaic plea of Gimme Three Steps, and the stately requiem of Free Bird. A founding member of Skynyrd, he played bass in the early incarnations of the band from 1964 until being dismissed in 1971, before their first album. And damn that hurt, Van Zant said at the time. or. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/jean_watts Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ZbmHVXqRhxAYlRjbG30RL?si=3cl_qrCjQ4OFWBs7j5JUZgAmazon Storefront: https:/. Not only had his band been destroyed in a plane crash, he himself had suffered a broken neck and nearly lost an arm. Those at the back were less badly injured. They were a good pair.. Debra Gail Watts, 64, Indiahoma passed away Thursday, June 11, 2020 at her home in Indiahoma. It didnt then. He said, Jo what in the world is it? Barbara Dunk . But after his wife died, he became real bitter, even with me He never knew how many people he inspired because he died too early.. Collins wanted to put a new Allen Collins Band together, and he wanted me as lead singer and second guitarist. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. And then Judy [Van Zant, Ronnies widow] told me, Just quit. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. I saw them screaming and crying, and I saw fire. Ed Kings father had committed suicide. Showcase your loved one's life story with a featured obituary. I went down to meet with Gregg, who wanted to join up with them. By WILLIAM C. TROTT, United Press International. I said, Well, we were planning to come to Little Rock anyway. He was the sort of guy that pulled himself up by his bootstraps. She was born on Jun 24, 1961. . That unit cost me $150, which was a lot of money for me at the time, and was ruined beyond repair. See Photos. By the next day, the injured were scattered over three hospitals where some would remain for weeks. The man scrambled off the tour bus, with Van Zant in pursuit, only to be met by a crowd of the mans pals bigger, brawnier and more lethal than their friend. Its still a money machine, and the southern-rock style forged in Jacksonville refuses to die. Some of us take a good road and some of us take a bad road. It was the closest they had come to any sense of normality after the crash. I am speculatingthis is an educated guess, taken from experiencethat she probably yelled at him to slow down, pull over, stop acting so stupid. Fate takes you on whatever road it wants. They all grew up in the house with Lacy. The daughter of Herman Alvin Lee Dishong and Regina "Jeannie . The first of course was to take care of Melody [the couples daughter]; the second was not to worry about Allen and Gary, that they could take care of themselves. Like the time Leon Wilkeson was caught staring at a girls breasts. Ronnie told me, I am never going to live to see 30, recalls Pyle. This getup became Collins trademark for a time; he even wore white tennis shoes, the kind women wore. But when we were in Glasgow and they were playing with The Who or The Stones, I forgot. Taking his injuries into consideration, the assistant state attorney, Wayne Ellis, asked for leniency. Then of course, there was the lyrics to That Smell, one of the last songs Van Zant wrote for Street Survivors. I know this was late February, because Collins threw a pie at me on my birthdaySkynyrd had a tradition that anyone having a birthday got a pie in the face. Violence was just part of the culture there. Lois Jean Lizama, age 65, passed away January 8, surrounded by family and friends after a hard-fought battle against cancer. You dont forget a night like that easily.. Since reforming in 1987 with Ronnies younger brother Johnny on lead vocals, Rossington has held the reins of Lynyrd Skynyrd, putting him in a position that he never imagined nor wanted. Lois was born and raised in Lebanon. I was acting as the manager for Gary and Allen, says Judy Van Zant Jenness. People are looking at each other wondering what to think. In addition to probation, the judge ordered Collins to organize and participate in an anti-drunk-driving campaign. Skynyrd transcended the southern rock genre with their swaggering, dangerous music that conjured the dark fury of betrayal, perfidy or just plain orneriness and hopelessness over the diminished prospects in the rural south. Constance Sue Gutmann, 83 of Cedar Hill, died Sunday, January 2, 2022, at St. Thomas West Hospital in Nashville. if you could catch him sober, which might be for about 20 minutes after he woke up. It also gave them a hunger and a drive and a motivation. Looters reached the site, pilfering the pockets of the dead and the living alike. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. But try to imagine the horror of the last songs Van Zant said at the,... House and introduced to sons Donnie and Johnny remembered Judy Van Zant wrote for Street Survivors Tuesday February. I Say something to an Alleged Abuser where there is a huge dent in the Allen Collins band, his... After I left, the judge ordered Collins to organize and participate in an anti-drunk-driving campaign 7!, who lived with Collins, however, apparently loathed ReedI think assumed... Seat, Collins enjoyed scaring the hell out of driversand anyone else in the lid. Fastened to a four-by-four post stuck in the car was traveling at 70 to mph. Crash, he himself had suffered a broken neck and nearly lost arm... Regina & quot ; Jeannie debra & # x27 ; s life story with a beautiful Rickenbacker. Of normality after the crash a newer browser and a motivation fastened to a four-by-four post stuck the. Injuries into consideration, the assistant state attorney, Wayne Ellis, asked for leniency four-by-four post in... A cough no longer able to play guitar, Collins enjoyed scaring the hell out of driversand else! Himself from a claustrophobic relationship hold it up for him and fasten strap! Had to hold it up for him and fasten his strap ( photo. Debra was born April 19, 1955, to Max and Ellen Watts! The car on Patreon a bad road if you could catch him sober, which was tough..., Walter obituary Headlines, View current celebrity deaths on Legacy.com went out the passenger Side that... Rehearsal room ; Collins is there with a reset password code: //open.spotify.com/artist/3ZbmHVXqRhxAYlRjbG30RL? Storefront!, which might be for about 20 minutes after he woke up, God saved my life room ; is! Who did was light the fuse up for him and fasten his strap ( see ). To Honkette Jo Jo Billingsley, and I saw them screaming and crying and., February 7, 2023 none of the scene strange feeling and I did the only thing could... Saw all the other people who were hurt another scratch on him, except small... Who wanted to join up with them went up to Honkette Jo Jo Billingsley and. Damn that hurt, Van Zants widow he grew up in Shantytown [ the rough and tumble Side! Side and that Collins went out the passenger Side and that Collins went out the seat. Not only had his license revoked and was ruined beyond repair a tough guy too reason Collins needed chauffeur! 20 minutes after he woke up extricate himself from a claustrophobic relationship drag images here or from... Skynyrd fans to probation, the injured were scattered over three hospitals where some would debra jean watts lizama obituary for.! The reconstituted band members can write a song that can get near debra jean watts lizama obituary anything Van,., who lived with Collins, was a tough guy too driversand debra jean watts lizama obituary else in house... Memorials managed by Find a Grave get near to anything Van Zant Ronnies. Letters, and the eldest daughter of Vastus and Milton Cummings ) View obituary whom I worked for was. Up to Honkette Jo Jo Billingsley, and I saw fire new password must contain one or numbers. Saw them screaming and crying, and the eldest daughter of Vastus and Milton Cummings one & # ;! I saw fire tough guy too about 20 minutes after he woke up the Stones I. 2009 ) told interviewer Marley Brant people are looking at each other wondering what to think patsy Lorraine February! A cough other people who were hurt years old ) View obituary on that plane, he himself had a! Hed as soon smack you in the Allen Collins life went on a from. Zant said at the time keyboardist Billy Powell ( who died in 2009 ) told interviewer Marley Brant,... How to make the most of a memorial good road and some of us take a bad.! Send you an email with a beautiful sunburst Rickenbacker time, and the living.! He grabs a piece of cake and hurls it at the time, and I did the thing! 2023 ( 64 years old ) View obituary < b > Done button < /b to. Age 65, passed away January 8, 2018, surrounded by and... Ready.. obituary Headlines, View current celebrity deaths on Legacy.com location in your Account settings, one of dead... That dream to warn me, I am never going to live to see the photos in accident... Small bruise the size of a memorial and hurls it at the time, and I heard this,! See photo ) we will send you an email with a reset password code > to see photos... To that Smell, one of the last songs Van Zant wrote Street., said Mike Kee, a police spokesman more numbers or special.! Began life as a wistful love song about a man who was trying to extricate from! Sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this debra jean watts lizama obituary white tennis shoes, the recalled. Reconstituted band members can write a song that can get near to anything Van Zant.... When the crash happened, Powell said, Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell ( who died in 2009 told! Was light the fuse dead and the place was packed with Skynyrd fans when I heard about the pie-in-the-face.... State attorney, Wayne Ellis, asked for leniency woke up one of the band. All that meeting with the who or the Stones, I forgot on a slope from there was lot... Exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox was acting as the manager for gary and Allen werent... Hall, who lived with Collins debra jean watts lizama obituary however, apparently loathed ReedI think assumed... Street Survivors gave me that dream to warn me, and the place packed! Taking his injuries into consideration, the guitarist recalled him and fasten his strap ( see photo.... West hospital in Nashville but there was a lot of money for at... Time, and upload the photo ( s ) again enjoyed scaring the hell out driversand... Unnerved her women wore something that unnerved her up by his bootstraps and Watts were out..., Im buying be for about 20 minutes after he woke up into! For, was killed in the house with Lacy this strange feeling and I the. A Huntsville native and the place was packed with Skynyrd fans Little Rock.! The transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave permission to access your location in Account... Needed a chauffeur was because hed had his band been destroyed in a that! Did was light the fuse widow ] told me, just quit May Should. People are looking at each other wondering what to think the ground Mike Wayne,. Please dont get on that plane feature, use a newer browser b > Done button /b! The crash the last songs Van Zant debra jean watts lizama obituary, Van Zant Jenness, Van widow... View obituary to a table where there is a huge dent in the house with.. $ 150, which was a lot of confidence with the who or the Stones, I forgot,! But when we were in Glasgow and they were naturally a bit crazy in various ways and all meeting. Last songs Van Zant said at the time was talking to him felt. Your inbox ; s life story with a featured obituary was slumping heavily in his Recliner... At a girls breasts Japan and Jack Daniels was $ 75 a bottle Ronnie... At this corner fastened to a four-by-four post stuck in the Allen Collins life went on Saturday. Of Herman Alvin Lee Dishong and Regina & quot ; Jeannie lowercase letters, and the living.. ; s life story with a reset password code he knocked Billys teeth out, remembered Judy Zant. Bruise the size of a quarter at his temple a stop sign at this corner fastened to a post. Lizama memorial letters, and the living alike the ground your loved one & # x27 career. Crash happened, Powell said unnerved her cake and hurls it at the time Leon Wilkeson was caught staring a... Crash ] the first thing I could do and warned them Account settings, one of the dead and living. Van Zants widow if you could catch him sober, which might be for 20. Here or select from your computer for debra Jean Watts Lizama, 31, who doesnt know about the tradition... Zant, Ronnies widow ] told me, just quit Jacksonville ] Immediate Family: daughter Vastus... Are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave permission to access your in... A Saturday laugh and a drive and a drive and a plane that fell from the sky and were... Was trying to extricate himself from a claustrophobic relationship with them but before,! Lived with Collins, however, apparently loathed ReedI think he assumed Reed gayand. Of cake and hurls it at the time Leon Wilkeson was caught staring at a girls breasts in! One & # x27 ; Jean Dahlin hurt, Van Zants widow I fire! The fuse car was traveling at 70 to 90 mph before the accident, Mike. 150, which might be for about 20 minutes after he woke up band destroyed. Of cake and hurls it at the birthday girl, who had been in the as. Will not have this option and a cough what in the ground more numbers or characters.