I am so very sad to hear of Joe's passing. He touched so many people in so many ways with grace, humor, and kindness. When Joe talked to a person we each felt like we were the only person on the planet at that moment. He taught me many things about birds--how to look, how to see, and how to find. And with great thankfulness I remember how kind he was to me upon the death of my husband. He never forgot to ask how I was doing. To say I will miss you is such an understatement.
Chris Owens Longmont On Thursday, November 26, 2020 at 10:35:55 AM UTC-7 [email protected] wrote: > We have lost a towering figure in Colorado birding. Joe was a mentor and > teacher in my eyes. I remember Joe saying, "If you want to really learn > something, teach it. And to become an expert, teach the teachers." I have > found this to be true in my life. I learn something so much better when I > help others learn it as well. The moral, share your knowledge and it will > improve your understanding of the subject and help others as well. Joe will > be greatly missed. > > Gregg Goodrich > Highlands Ranch > > > On Thursday, November 26, 2020 at 8:45:53 AM UTC-7 Charles Hundertmark > wrote: > >> Joe was a dedicated and skilled birder. His name still sits at or near >> the top of many CFO county birding lists. When a rarity showed up at a >> Colorado location, it was likely he could tell you the year and location he >> had first seen that species in the state. >> >> But it is fitting that most of the memories we have of him are the >> personal connections. As many tributes reflect, Joe loved people as much as >> birds and related easily with people through humor, stories and empathy. >> >> Joe impacted my life in many ways, but one of my fondest memories was a >> meeting with Joe shortly after I had managed to use bear spray on myself. >> Seeing my inflamed red face, Joe asked what had happened. I explained in >> prosaic detail how I had closed the lid of a box containing the bear spray >> can and triggered the spray. At the conclusion of the story, Joe wryly >> observed, “You’ve got to tell a better story than that!” Years after, I’m >> still trying to figure out how to work a bear into the story. >> >> When Joe became President of Denver Field Ornithologists, his stories and >> humor always kicked off the meetings with an upbeat feeling. He took >> birding seriously, but knew that in the long run the purpose was fun. >> >> His manner was easy-going, but Joe brought out the best in the people and >> organizations he touched. >> >> Chuck Hundertmark >> Lafayette, CO >> >> On Nov 26, 2020, at 1:32 AM, Thomas Heinrich <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Reading all the wonderful tributes to Joe helps temper the sadness and >> shock I'm feeling hearing of his passing. I remember meeting Joe soon >> after moving to Colorado in the late 90s. And while I didn't know him >> as well as many of you, I am truly grateful to have known him and >> connected with him on birding and music. I appreciated his welcoming, >> kind, supportive nature, his joy and enthusiasm for birding, and >> especially his humor. I will really miss reading his witty posts to Cobirds >> and crossing paths in the field from time to time. >> >> Thanks to all for sharing your stories and memories of Joe and >> celebrating his life and impact on the Colorado birding community. >> >> Joe shared this joke (maybe a bit of a musician's inside joke) in one of >> our last email exchanges: >> >> "The world is full of cello jokes, but here is my favorite - >> Q: Did you hear about the cellist who bragged that he could play 32nd >> notes? >> A: The rest of the orchestra didn't believe him, so he proved it by >> playing one." >> >> >> Thomas Heinrich >> Boulder, CO >> [email protected] >> >> On Thu, Nov 26, 2020 at 12:40 AM Karl Stecher Jr. <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> I didn't know Joe was ill in this COVID-confined year, and my chest sank >>> when I read the news. >>> I don't know how long we knew each other. Besides the many encounters >>> at meetings, I recall the Ross' gull we watched together at Cherry Creek SP >>> and the several encounters scanning Marston from the east side. >>> We had multiple exchanges of information with many of the humorous >>> comments one on one and not thought pertinent to all of cobirds. >>> I was always glad to see him. Not mentioned yet here (I think) is the >>> extensive knowledge he had of such things as history and literature, >>> besides medicine and birds. >>> It was a privilege to have known him. >>> >>> Karl Stecher >>> Aurora >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> *From*: "Robert Raker" <[email protected]> >>> *Sent*: Wednesday, November 25, 2020 11:51 PM >>> *To*: "Colorado Birds" <[email protected]> >>> *Subject*: Re: [cobirds] Joe Roller sad news >>> >>> >>> So very sad to hear this news. Besides being a great guy to bird with, >>> he was always so supportive discussing and providing advice regarding my >>> battle with cancer. Ironic that he ended up passing before me. >>> >>> Joe and I met in the most unusual of places, in a gastroenterology >>> clinic. It was time for me to have my colonoscopy and my physician by >>> chance turned out to be Dr. Roller. After the procedure, while I was >>> recovering from the anesthesia, he found out from my wife that I was a >>> birder and a photographer. So, in typical Joe Roller fashion, not ten >>> seconds after I regained consciousness, he very excitedly insisted in >>> taking me down to his private office to check out the penguin pictures he >>> had just taken on a trip to Antarctica. We’ve been great friends ever >>> since. You will be missed Joe!! >>> Rob Raker >>> Lakewood CO >>> Jefferson County >>> On Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 6:23:28 PM UTC-7 David Waltman wrote: >>> >>>> Larry and others have done a great job of paying tribute to Joe, so I >>>> can’t add a lot. My experience was that he was so funny and fun to be >>>> around. So many of us benefited from his sharing of birding knowledge and >>>> humor including many who never met him but read his comments on cobirds. >>>> I >>>> once asked him after he retired if he missed working. He said he didn’t >>>> miss the responsibility, but he missed his colleagues. You can be sure >>>> that they missed him. >>>> David Waltman >>>> Boulder >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 11/25/2020 3:45 PM Larry Modesitt <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Cobirders, >>>> >>>> The very sad news is that Joe died last night of cancer just after >>>> midnight. His wife Maryanne said that despite his pain, he was still >>>> cracking jokes with the nurses yesterday morning. “He made me laugh every >>>> single day,” she said. Either one of their boys, Dan and Tom, was always >>>> able to be with him for the past month. >>>> >>>> I was out running with my dog when Joe corralled us decades ago. That’s >>>> how I became one of many people Joe introduced to birding. That led to us >>>> birding together all over Colorado and the world. Joe’s love of teaching >>>> folks about birds, almost always with a humorous insight, continued >>>> through >>>> his illness. He was a valuable contributor to Denver Field Ornithologists, >>>> Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Colorado Field Ornithologists, and the >>>> medical community. There has never been anyone like Joe Roller, and he >>>> will >>>> be missed greatly. >>>> >>>> We can believe that last night just after midnight, St. Peter laughed >>>> harder than he had all year. >>>> >>>> Larry Modesitt >>>> >>>> Arvada >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/c6ccd713-4342-4f0c-b0a0-3762cd62ef2fn%40googlegroups.com >>>> >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/c6ccd713-4342-4f0c-b0a0-3762cd62ef2fn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/04860a94-f2b9-4dcb-b97b-4a6a5f198808n%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/04860a94-f2b9-4dcb-b97b-4a6a5f198808n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/23370b3cad4a494ea8cbcd2428871ecd%40idcomm.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/23370b3cad4a494ea8cbcd2428871ecd%40idcomm.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> >> >> -- >> Thomas Heinrich >> Boulder, CO >> [email protected] >> www.pbase.com/birdercellist >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CADXhbwEGKaE0k2v9%3DD_gOboDCrYf_2zCPt8PmwBOZc%3DSr6qZWQ%40mail.gmail.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CADXhbwEGKaE0k2v9%3DD_gOboDCrYf_2zCPt8PmwBOZc%3DSr6qZWQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. 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