richard proenneke obituary

The March was organized to address "the ills of black communities and call for unity and revitalization of African American communities". (Running time approx. (Running time is approx. He fished, hunted, gathered, and raised his own food, but he would fly in supplies occasionally. Two New Richard Proenneke DVD Documentaries are here! Remembering Richard Proenneke. Patty Brown, who was a park ranger in Alaska and California for 20 years, worked at Lower Twin Lake from 1990 to 1991. The source of Sam Keith's book "One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey," Dick Proenneke embodies humanity's fascination with wilderness. Reminded of his own mortality, he knew he wanted to change his life. Select "Add Memory" to share stories and photos. I took off my boots and Dick noticed how callused the balls of my feet were. Learn who Richard was, about his 30 years of homesteading in Alaska, and see a lifesized replica of his Alaskan cabin. After an eye injury that threatened to leave him blind in the late 1960s Proenneke wanted to put down roots far from civilization by building his own cabin amid the natural beauty of the Twin Lakes region. In addition, he had a keen mind and loved to learn, mostly through observation. . First to Oregon, where he ranched sheep, and then to Alaska. Occasionally, he ordered food and other items from Sears through his friend, bush pilot and missionary, Leon Reid 'Babe' Alsworth. Finally, he used his knife to drill a hole in the wider end of the needle. After serving there for nearly two years, he was sent to San Francisco in order to join a new ship assignment. The finished home included a chimney, bunk bed, and large window overlooking the water. In 1978, he was featured in the PBS documentary Alaska: The Closing Frontier, where he advocated preservation and quoted Thoreau: In wildness is the preservation of the world.. He later returned toOregon and found employment in the Blue Mountains on a large sheep and cattle ranch where he built remote herders camps. I was at Dicks place the day the associate directors visited. In mid-2007, his cabin and the outbuildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places. With One Mans Wilderness now in worldwide circulation, more and more folks came to visit, eager to meet the now living legend. The average age of After I left Lake Clark at the end of the summer, I made up a large package of assorted teas and sent him a surprise bundle with a thank-you note for helping to educate this park ranger. Plan your trip to the home of one of Alaska's foremost wilderness icons. . Back in the 60s, however, people knew it only as a was a complex of deep blue lakes nestled between tall, snow-covered mountains. Over the years many have drawn parallels between Proenneke and Henry David Thoreau. Sam Keith, who came to know Proenneke at the Kodiak Naval Station and went on numerous hunting and fishing trips with him, suggested that Proenneke's journals might be the basis for a good book. Come see the Richard Proenneke Museum located inside the library. During the 30 years he stayed at Twin Lakes, Proenneke filled up more than 250 notepads with his diary entries. IN 1968, two years before I arrived in Alaska as a newborn, a 51-year-old heavy-machine operator named Dick Proenneke decided to build a cabin on the remote shores of Twin Lakes and live out his . He was very welcoming and very friendly, and he helped us out with all kinds of things. After one tiring hike up and over Low Pass to the Kijik area with my sister and Dick, who was then 79 years old, we returned to soak our feet in the lake in front of Dicks cabin and eat his famous blueberries with Tang. He worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service at King Salmon on the Alaska Peninsula. You need to do something about that, Pat, Dick told me. [6] Most of the structure and the furnishings are made from materials in and around the site, from the gravel taken from the lake bed to create the cabin's base, to the trees he selected, cut down, and then hand-cut with interlocking joints to create the walls and roof rafter framing. One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey is a book, first published in 1973, by Sam Keith, based on the journals and photography of Richard Proenneke who, in 1968, retreated to the wilderness of Twin Lakes in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska to build a home for himself and live alone in the wilderness. Did Richard serve in the military or did a war or conflict interfere with his life? Fish On: Use These Simple Lessons to Catch More Fish! He donated his cabin to the National Park Service, following which it became a popular tourism attraction as NPS offered trips to the site during summer. Dick eventually came to view the National Park Service as the lesser of two evils. That goal is to live a life like you are. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Iowa Lee County The book, edited by John Branson, a longtime Lake Clark National Park employee and friend of Proenneke, covers the years when the park was established. You want to hold it tight. In addition, Dick sought to improve his mental state as well. Proenneke received immense public recognition in 1973 when his journals and photographs were included in the book One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey. In 2016 and 2018, respectively, A life in Full Stride: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1981-1985 and Your Life here is an Inspiration: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 19861991 were published. On one such occasion he tracked down a large caribou that had been shot through a front and hind leg and salvaged the meat for himself, finishing the job the lazy hunter refused to do. The landscape commemorates the life of Richard L. Proenneke, a legendary writer, wildlife photographer, and conservationist who lived alone in a cabin he built by hand. After hiking on a mountain near San Francisco he contracted rheumatic fever and was hospitalized at Norco Naval Hospital for six months. Man in His Wilderness, edited by Alan and Laurel Bennett, go to Proenneke hunted, fished, raised and gathered much of his own food, and also had supplies flown in occasionally. Though adept at his trade, Proenneke eventually yielded to his love of nature and moved to Oregon to work at a sheep ranch. AK Friends can be as close as family. That summer, during my patrols, I flew over and landed at Twin Lakes a number of times. That summer Proenneke harvested spruce trees and in 1968 he began construction on what would become his cabin and wilderness home during the next thirty years. A view of the cabin and raised storage shed from the lake. Today its overshadowed by his other accomplishments, but he was truly one of the premier wildlife photographers of his time. Although its been years since Dicks passing, I still think of him whenever I see something unusual or interesting in the natural world. While there he flew to Alaska to visit an old Navy buddy. Wikimedia CommonsDick Proennekes built meat storage on stilts to keep off wild animals. Another friend from Kodiak, Herb Wright, had applied for a Small Track Lease on the site in 1960; however, in a sad turn of events, Wright became terminally ill. That year, two associate regional Park Service directors flew in to meet Dick. As he put it, To look around at what you have accomplished in a day gives a man a good feeling. Proenneke completed primary school in Primrose, but left high school after two years because he did not enjoy it. Richard E. Crotty February 3, 2023. The cabin is a popular attraction of Lake Clark National Park. It occurred to me that they had just missed out on one of the most unique moments of their lives to spend some quality time with Dick. He said, Well, they got off that airplane, introduced themselves as director this and director that and then called me by my first name like we went to school together.. Share highlights of Richard's life. Biographies are our place to remember and discover more about the people important to us. The cabin Richard Proenneke would build on Twin Lakes in his 50s included a stone fireplace. Bob Swerer produced the video "The Frozen North" in 2006. Obituary guidelines; Submit Death Notice; Submit an Obituary . He moved to Shuyak Island, Alaska, in 1950. The cabin stands today, a testament to his exceptional craftsmanship and resourcefulness. Richard Louis Proenneke (/prnki/; May 4, 1916 April 20, 2003) was an American self-educated naturalist, conservationist, writer, and wildlife photographer who, from the age of about 51, lived alone for nearly thirty years (19681998) in the mountains of Alaska in a log cabin that he constructed by hand near the shore of Twin Lakes. His journals and videos were used with permission in the documentary, 'Alone in the Wilderness', which aired on television in 2004. I met Dick Proenneke in 1982 when I was a seasonal park ranger on my first summer assignment in Alaska. American Frontiersman Summer 2022: Coming in Hot, Loaded for Bear! [1]:xiii According to one of his biographers and friend, Sam Keith, the illness was very revealing for Proenneke, who decided to devote the rest of his life to the strength and health of his body. Dick would work for the next 14 years on Kodiak. At age 51, I decided to find out.. He came to know the landscape around him intimately, observing the changing seasons, wildlife patterns, and weather variations from year to year. Richard Proenneke's birthday is on May 4, 1916. Mechanically gifted from an early age, the old bike was the perfect tinker toy. Im going to name it Alison Glacier. I dont know if its official or not, but years later, I learned that the Park Service stuck that name on its map. Dick loved those things as much as anybody Id ever met. The last time I saw Dick was after a hike from Telaquana Lake to Twin Lakes in August 1998. You can bet he made use of every scrap. View Lake Clark's entire online museum collections which includes some of Richard Proenneke's belongings. He ends by writing, 'I thank you for your time. Following his retirement, he decided to live alone in the wilderness of Alaska and on May 21, 1968, he arrived at the spot he had chosen near the Twin Lakes. The Alaskan wilderness is as beautiful as it is dangerous, especially if youre traversing it or inhabiting it alone. A hunter himself, he had quickly become disenchanted with the streams of trophy hunters that flew in each fall. To read One Mans Wilderness is to be swept into a slower, simpler world. My partner, Tim Wingate, and I would be flown to Twin Lakes for a variety of assignments. I got up and did those 80 chin-ups. Then he paused. If he ever fell out of the canoe he used for fishing, he would instantly freeze to death in the icy water. It offended him that they wanted respect because of their lofty titles, yet they didnt extend the same level of esteem to him. When he was still a teenager, Glen Alsworth Sr. began flying to Proennekes cabin to deliver his mail. Needless to say, Proennekes cabin didnt come with easy access to electricity. Richard Pronneke was an Iowa-born naturalist, writer, and wildlife photographer. 56 minutes), 100 % of your donation goes to support the Richard L Proenneke Museum, To our Canadian Friends, for assistance with your purchases please contact. Watch Proenneke's last visit to his cabin at Upper Twin Lake in the year 2000 at the age of 84. Ethical subsistence hunters, on the other hand, could always count on Proennekes help packing out and caring for game. Ill lose some sleep thinking about that one . I visited Twin Lakes the following year in October to photograph bull moose and Dall Sheep but Dick wasnt staying for the winters anymore. I think of Dick as a kindred spirit. (2) Filming the 1977 production One Mans Alaska at Emerson Falls. But its understandable that back then, Dick was apprehensive whenever high-ranking park officials came to his cabin. Fans of the book (and the other publications and films) admire Proennekes self-sufficiency, close observations of nature and unencumbered, off-the-grid lifestyle. Proenneke lived at Twin Lakes (now in Lake Clark National Park) intermittently from 1967 to 1999 in the log cabin he built. Cassandra Faye Shaffer Obituary. We'll connect you with others who know the person you follow. He said that he had caught a lake trout that morning and rather than throw away the insides, he put them on a hook and figured he would catch a burbot for another meal. Learn how and when to remove this template message, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska, National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, "Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, Building the Cabin", "Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, Living in Alaska", "Friends of Donnellson Library - Raymond aka "Jake", "Winners of the 1999 National Outdoor Book Awards", "Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, Later Years", "Friends of Donnellson Library - Richard Proenneke Museum - Home", More Readings From One Man's Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1974-1980, The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1967-1973, A Life in Full Stride: the Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1981-1985, Your Life Here Is An Inspiration: the Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1986-1991, Reaching the End of the Trail: the Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1992-2000, National Park Service: page about Richard Proenneke, National Park Service: information about visiting Proenneke's cabin, Bob Swerer Productions' Dick Proenneke Bio, National Park Service: Lake Clark web site, Lake Clark National Park landscape photos by Mark Meyer (12 Photos), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Proenneke&oldid=1148292296, Heavy equipment operator, carpenter, mechanic. Proenneke's father, William Christian Proenneke (18801972), served in World War I, and made his living as a house painter, carpenter and well driller. He saw his correspondence, films, and journals as a way to share a life untethered to the commercial world. Following his discharge from the Navy, Proenneke went to school to become a diesel mechanic. Proenneke would have turned 100 last year; we are pleased to mark the anniversary by publishing some remembrances adapted from the book. How I wish I could tell him about it in a letter and seek his thoughts. Richard Proenneke did what most nature buffs can only dream of: At age 51, he quit his job as a mechanic and moved to the Alaskan wilderness to become one with nature. PO Box 227 Once in a while, on a visit, we would walk down and each get two one for eating right now and one to take back. We got ready to go on a long hike, but before we left, we did my favorite kind of fishing. AncientFaces is a 100% free and family-friendly community to share memories and connect with others to discover more about Uncovering Our Shared Memories: An Introduction to the Community Standards at AncientFaces His mother, Laura (ne Bonn) (18841966) was a homemaker and gardener. The war had already ended by the time he recovered six months later, so the Navy gave him medical discharge in 1945. Proenneke's friend, bush pilot and missionary Leon Reid "Babe" Alsworth, returned periodically by seaplane or ski-plane to bring mail, food and orders that Proenneke placed through him to Sears.[7]. Joyce Ann Marie Kemp April 20, 2023 (94 years old) View obituary. He lived alone in the mountains of the arctic from 1969 through 1999! Was I equal to everything this wild land could throw at me? he wrote in his diary. Hardly a sedentary retirement, he was up before dawn each and every morning. One day I learned that Dick did have a sharp side to his personality. Dick Proenneke shot over 3000 feet of 8mm movie film. I had seen its moods in late spring, summer and early fall, that same entry continues. Proenneke often credited his Iowa farm upbringing with giving him the skills needed to hunt, fish, and fend for himself. Dick certainly possessed the skillset to survive, but more importantly he had the mindset that allowed him to thrive. He had two brothers, Robert and Raymond (Jake), and three sisters, Helen, Lorene, and Florence. The cattle may not have worked out, but when the naval station on the island learned of Proennekes capabilities, he was immediately put to work as a dieselmechanic. No, oh no, Dick would quickly command. Writer Sam Keith, Richard Proenneke's friend at the Kodiak Naval Station, once mentioned that his illness had worked like an eye-opener for him and shifted his focus on building bodily strength. What are you doing?. Through the early 1970s, land usage debates raged in Alaska. To the park rangers that would occasionally check in on him, he was as wise and content as an old monk. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. He would hike, paddle and snowshoe thousands of miles each year, exploring the land he loved and checking in daily on all of his animal neighbors.. They gotta work for a living.. In the same speech, he outlined the benefits of democracy which he said were economic opportunity, employment, social security, and the promise of "adequate health care". Based out of the island city of Kodiak, he worked as a repairman, technician, and fisherman. What is Richard's ethnicity and where did his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents come from? Memorials for Richard may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Decatur, IL or the Kenney Fire Department. When he wasnt on the farm, he was cruising around town on his Harley Davidson. Richard Dick Proenneke was born on May 4, 1916, in Primrose, Iowa the second of four sons. BETTY SUE LYNN, the oldest daughter of Loretta Lynn and Oliver Vanetta Lynn, passed away today July 29, 2013. We share yesterday, to build meaningful connections today, and preserve for tomorrow. Billions of dollars were lost and some investors committed suicide as a result, having lost their fortunes. No one holds a more intimate knowledge of Dick's handcrafted life than Monroe, and just as Dick shared his life through letters and film, Monroe knew he had a responsibility to share all that he had learned. Proenneke wrote regularly in his journal; he filled hundreds of steno pads, many of which the Park Service now owns. He possessed tremendous attention to detail as the faintest track or the slightest movement was sure to catch his eye. (2018), Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Cassandra Faye Shaffer to show support. He greeted each day with childlike enthusiasm and never begrudged a task. The ideal location was 200 yards west of the Carrither's guest cabin. He commonly walked the legs off people half his age, even as he approached his 80th birthday. When I worked at Lake Clark in the summers of 1990 and 1991, Dick and I would check in with each other on the radio most mornings. They didnt cost me a lot of money either. He left home with $30, and he returned some months later with $10. I was always amazed at his cabin, cache and woodshed how immaculate they were and the craftsmanship they exhibited. To purchase a copy of Dick Proenneke: Reflections on a Afraid he didnt have the discipline to keep from eating the whole box at once, he stored them in an abandoned cabin he used as storage. Those blueberries were the best ever. He initially stayed at the cabin for 16 months before returning home to visit relatives and to collect more provisions for a longer stay. I wonder what he would think about all of this? When did he die? [citation needed]. I was one of 19 rangers from the Lower 48 who had been selected and sent to Alaska to watch over the new Park Service monuments covering 48 million acres that had been designated by President Jimmy Carter. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Richard's lifetime. Hot meals had to be prepared over a fireplace. His smile was always one of childlike joy, like we were getting away with something. One fall, I came to visit Dick over my birthday. After a moment, he asked, Well, girls, where are we going to hike tomorrow?. He and Will Troyer, a park wildlife biologist, were in the middle of a caribou calf count at Turquoise Lake. Being together was always very comfortable, whether conversation came or not. In 1987, by the time he was 71 years old, on October 19th, stock exchanges around the world crashed. A Life in Full Stride describes the multitude of visitors Proenneke encountered not only from the general public, but also from National Park Service staff. Dick meticulously recorded his observations of weather, wildlife, and even other human visitors. But they were still on California time, rushing about and trying to see and do everything they could. In how many days is his birthday? I asked him why he placed the pin on the map and he jokingly responded, So if anyone is interested enough, they would know where to look for my body! On a more serious note, visitors who had business with him could see where he was and perhaps, how long he might be gone. Richard Proenneke, whose friends called him Dick, is an icon of wilderness values and an inspiration to those who value simplicity, direct connection with nature, self-reliance, and ingenuity. Sturdy and modest, it measures 11 by 14 feet and wouldbe his home for the next 30 years. We paddled at a steady but slow pace. Well, maybe take the Klepper kayak over to the other side and see if berries are ripe. You use of this website constitutes and manifests your acceptance of our, (Photo by Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, H-2190, catalog number LACL 3512, photo by Richard Proenneke), (Photo by Lake Clark National Park Service), (Photo by Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, catalog number LACL 2166, photo by Richard Proenneke), (Photo by Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, H-2167, catalog number LACL 3512, photo by Richard Proenneke), (Photo by Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, H-2342, catalog number LACL 3512, photo by Richard Proenneke), ENTER TO WIN: Free Gun Friday > Springfield Armory Hellion 5.56 Rifle * Trijicon RMR Red Dot * Black Hills Ammo *. But Richard Proenneke didnt just survive in this harsh environment he thrived. Preserving Our Past. . My first meetings with Dick were a bit formal because of a certain amount of posturing by both of us. Richard Proenneke, whose friends called him Dick, is an icon of wilderness values and an inspiration to those who value simplicity, direct connection with nature, self-reliance, and ingenuity. the average Proenneke family member He accessed the cache with a ladder that he had built himself. Having visited the area before, he set up camp on the southern shores of the lake. Dick captured much of his famous cabin build on film. ." Along with a biography composed by his friend Sam Keith, Proennekes notepads and camera footage were later turned into a documentary, Alone in the Wilderness, which shows Proennekes simple lifestyle in all its glory. we begin to show & tell who our loved ones were during particular moments in their lives. In 1997 Bob Swerer and Bob Swerer Sr flew to Twin Lakes to visit with Dick Proenneke and explore the Twin Lakes region. It seemed everyone wanted to meet "The Man." Instead, he was a simple man, in harmony with his surroundings and perfectly content with what the land provided him. National Parks, our award-winning quarterly magazine, is an exclusive benefit of membership in the National Parks Conservation Association. Off he went to his tool shed and back he came with a fine wood file. In 1968, Richard Proenneke a 52-year-old Iowan whod fallen in love with the Alaska outback headed to a remote spot in the southwestern part of the state to test himself. He began keeping his Journal only after everyone had gone from Sept. 16 through Oct. 10th. Richard L Proenneke of Hemet, Riverside County, California was born on May 4, 1916, and died at age 86 years old on April 20, 2003. With the exception of a handful of nails, tar paper and some plastic sheeting, all the materials came from his surroundings. NOW AVAILABLE! The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 19671973 was published by Alaska Geographic in 2010. Proenneke bequeathed his cabin to the National Park Service upon his death and it was included in the National Register of Historic Places four years later. Not that he was ever a troubled man, but a lifetime spent working on parts instead of the whole project was not his cup of tea. He encouraged Proenneke to use the site instead. a He inherited his craftiness from his father William, a carpenter and well driller. But what about the winter? I was the first and only field ranger assigned to Lake Clark National Monument that year. When old man winter forced him indoors, he enjoyed reading Thoreau and Leopold, both of which he was fond of quoting in his journals. Protecting Our Future. Poor kid, how do you answer such a letter and not do more damage than good? Dick Proenneke, who had never caught as much as a cold, contracted rheumatic fever while stationed in San Francisco. I hope the snow falls lightly and the wind howls softly. Come in out of the subzero and shiver yourself warm in front of a wood fire? He donated his log cabin and most of his possessions to the National Park Service, which had managed the area since 1978, when it became part of Lake Clark National Monument. In October, the couple published Dick Proenneke: Reflections on a Man in His Wilderness, a compilation of essays written by (or drawn from interviews with) his friends and admirers. While at work at Chiniak he sustained an injury that nearly cost him his vision. Finally, Will asked, What are you going to do?, Dick replied, Oh, Im going to go visit a seamstress. He handed his clipboard to Will, turned toward the lake and took off. His skills as a technician were well-known and sought after, and he was able to save for retirement. To say he was frugal is an understatement. AncientFaces is a place where our memories & family stories live. His vision would return but one thought would haunt him: What if the greasy belly pan of a bulldozer had been the last sight his eyes ever witnessed? Dick always left a map of the area on the cabin table and a flagged pin to show exactly where he intended to go that day. Share memories and family stories, photos, or ask questions. Without a doubt, Dick Proenneke's One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey is as memorable and captivating as any I've read in my five decades of reading. Richard's birthday is in 44 days. Four years later, Proenneke died of a stroke on April 20, 2003. If they had only slowed down to savor the moment.
Young Celebrities With Heart Problems, Kevin J O'connor Illness, St Christopher Bible Verse, Beach Club Membership Cost, Articles R