| Here is the story told their daughter, Michelle Marks: | | | | initial assembly. His maiden voyage was bittersweet |
| "VOLANT, which means 'to fly' in French, is the name | | | | because we had all hoped she would be able to see it |
| of a hot air balloon that my dad made completely by | | | | fly in the sky. I had the attached photo framed that |
| himself. | | | | was taken from the maiden voyage in Boulder, |
| He has been a balloonist since the mid 1970's and has | | | | Colorado and the nickel plate will go underneath it." |
| purchased two custom made balloons in the past (His | | | | Engraving plates can help in labors of love for a loved |
| other two balloons also had names that begun with | | | | one that has passed away. Michelle had a photo taken |
| the letter V - Vision and Voyager). Designing and then | | | | on the maiden voyage of the Hot Air Balloon and had |
| making this balloon was a project he started in May | | | | the engraving plate attached on the frame. This helps |
| 2006 and he took the maiden voyage on June 30, | | | | with the grieving process and turns it around to a |
| 2007. The hours and hours he spent sewing the panels | | | | celebration of her mother's and father's love for each |
| on a commercial sewing machine was good therapy | | | | other. You may have a tragedy in your life. Look for |
| for him since my mom, his wife of 39 years, passed | | | | ways to turn grief into a celebration of life with an |
| away this past March. She had chosen the colors of | | | | engraving plate. |
| the balloon and had helped him with the design and | | | | |