Roy is Hiking His Way to Heaven

by Lee Oler (with lots of help from Gail Emrick)

Roy Emrick passed on October 13, 2019.

I was fortunate to interview Roy recently for my "On the Shoulders" series in the Rincon Group Newsletter.

His obit started out,
"Arizona says good-bye to Roy Emrick . . . . A native of Ohio, Roy earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and his PhD from the University of Illinois, both in physics".

Roy told me he instantly fell in love with the southwest when he came to Tucson to investigate the job scene at the University of Arizona. He took a position in the U of A Physics Department saying he decided he would rather live in Tucson 52 weeks a year and have a smaller salary, than take a higher paying position and wait 50 weeks to take his two week vacation in the southwest.

We were so fortunate that Roy chose to stay in Arizona.

When I came to Tucson, I was lucky enough to move into a house across the alley from Roy. I couldn't plan a better way to start my post-grad adventure. Roy was always there as an activist.

From the early days he was a man who did what was good, from helping Juel Rodack and the AWWW bunch interview candidates -- to taking part in Sierra Club canvassing, protesting, and all other things political.

He held many positions in the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter and in the Rincon Group, too. Roy was treasurer for various progressive candidates running for office and also past president of the Friends of the Buenas Aires National Wildlife Refuge. He was the dependable go-to person whenever anyone needed help.

His daughter, Gail, wrote a loving Father's Day message last June. Here is a bit of it.

"I am so thankful for my dad's immense love of nature. He and my mom took us kids to so many out-of-the-way incredibly beautiful places that most people probably don't even know existed. We went to the Canadian Rockies, and all the way to Central America because of my father's passion for adventure.

My dad inspired the love of outdoors and nature in us, and . . . in his grandchildren as well. We have much to be thankful for on this beautiful Earth, and much of it was shown to us by our wonderful, nature-loving father, Roy."

Roy is survived by Frances, his wife of 27 years. He is also survived by his three children, Steven Emrick and his wife, Liz; Gail Emrick and her children, Jean Marie, Montgomery, and Sebastian; and Ellen Emrick Taylor, her husband Mark, and their three children, Olivia, Julia, and Sophia; and Jean Emrick, the mother of his children.

I asked Roy's kids, Steve, Gail, and Ellie, to tell me about their dad.-- appropriately, Gail sent this to me on Father's Day, 2019.

"Roy and us growing up:"

"The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of my father is hiking. My first and best memories come from my dad, mom, and siblings in the VW bus (and later our Chevy Suburban) on an excursion somewhere in rough terrain. Thinking back on it, my mother was a saint! We would go for weeks (without indoor plumbing), my mom cooking by Coleman stove, on a trip most likely organized by my father.

I am so thankful for my dad's immense love of nature. He, and my mom, took us kids to so many out of the way incredibly beautiful places that most people probably didn't even know existed. We went to the Canadian Rockies, and all the way to Central America because of my father's passion for adventure!

The most prominent memories are of BAJA California. Baja before the paved highway was truly historic. Can you imagine, going only 40 or 50 miles in an entire day in a vehicle? The roads were so rough and our VW bus was not 4-wheel drive. That did not stop our dad! We must have had a guardian angel traveling with us because dad and mom spoke just a little Spanish, but we navigated those roads, camped on beaches with NO ONE else for miles. When a family or village was nearby, we would kindly ask for directions or gas or something, and as a kid, we were never worried that we were going to get somewhere or not get somewhere. Beaches were pristine and my father would bring along a raft, snorkels, masks and, wow, i just didn't realized how we were spoiled in that way. Discovering such pristine beaches, being visited for the very first time (at least most likely by us crazy gringo campers).

Hiking for my dad was a lifestyle. It didn't matter how far we were going, the destination was the hike, and when asked how far it was, it was always "just around the bend" to where we were going. He took us to the Grand Canyon, and many, many other places, but my most memorable hikes were of Mt. Wrightson (Mt. Baldy as he called it) in the Santa Ritas. I swear we went up there a million times and dad was clever to indulge us in our fantasies along the way. I named a water pipe "Mr. Green" and that pipe has been my friend, when hiking Baldy, ever since. It enabled dad to make the hike with us at ages of 7 and 5 (Steve and me at the time, and later including our youngest sibling Ellie as well) to the top of that very steep mountain - difficult by most adult standards!

My dad inspired the love of outdoors and nature in us, and now in our children as well. We have so much to be thankful for on this beautiful earth, and much of it was shown to us by our wonderful, nature-loving dear father, Roy.

My first-born child, Jean Marie, was born while my father was on sabbatical in Germany, so when we called him about the good news, he wasn't ready to be called grandpa yet, and said, you can call me Opa (grandfather in German). So, we now fondly refer to our father, as Opa.

Today is Father's day when I am writing this down so Happy Father's Day to you Opa - you are the best in the world and Steve, Ellie and I are most fortunate to have a father as inspirational as you.

All my love and admiration,"
~ Gail