richard proenneke obituary

Dick Proenneke shot over 3000 feet of 8mm movie film. Journal and DVD Documentary "Alone At Twin Lakes - 1965!" The very first known Journal kept and original film Richard shot at Twin Lakes in 1965! Cassandra Faye Shaffer Obituary (1967 - 2023) | Peoria, Illinois - Echovita He spent his early years in Alaska, working as a heavy equipment operator and repairman on the Naval Air Station at Kodiak. Alison Woodings never returned to Twin Lakes, but she corresponded with Dick for many years. Loretta and her family thank. 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. During the next few years, he earned a reputation as a very skilled mechanic thanks to his adaptability, strong work ethics and intelligence. While living in his cabin, Richard Proenneke spent a lot of time hunting for meat, growing vegetables and collecting wood for fire. Edited by Keith, it was re-issued on its 26th anniversary in 1999, which won the 'National Outdoor Book Award' (NOBA) that year. Though at age 81 he could still outrace young visitors on a hike up to his favorite rock, he left Twin Lakes and flew back to California in 1998 to spend the last chapter of his life with his brother. Though hes long dead, his cabin has since become a monument for survivalists and conservationists alike to this day. The votes are in! Obituary guidelines; Submit Death Notice; Submit an Obituary . Proenneke's father, William Christian Proenneke (18801972), served in World War I, and made his living as a house painter, carpenter and well driller. In October of 1976, Dick nearly met an untimely demise while flying south to Iowa. In 1916, in the year that Richard L Proenneke was born, in June, the U.S. Congress authorized a plan to expand the armed forces over the next five years. Way back up. That goal is to live a life like you are. But, that I might feel that he was intruding and he wouldnt want to do that. Back in the 60s, however, people knew it only as a was a complex of deep blue lakes nestled between tall, snow-covered mountains. The cabin is a popular attraction of Lake Clark National Park. This was the second time in his life he was laid up by a serious injury or illness. Help paint a picture of Richard so that he is always remembered. They didn't cost me a lot of money either. There were few comforts to be had in the way of material things during this time, but little was ever accomplished by complaining. Order your copies today! When did he die? Learn More About Dick Proenneke's Life at Upper Twin Lake. After they left, I asked Dick, So howd it go? He instantly lit into them. She went on to spend another 20 years teaching science, math and other subjects in Alaska. (2016), Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. Volume I "From The Heartland To the Great Northwest" follows Richard from his Homestead in Primrose IA to the Wilkinson Ranch in Heppner OR, and on to Portland, OR. He always liked to have people get pictures of themselves looking out through the top of the Dutch door of his cabin. Proenneke continued to vacation with them at their cabin on Upper Twin Lake in subsequent years. Dick seemed more frail than Id seen him before, but we still took a hike up to see the Balancing Rock. Dick lived his life at Twin Lakes with the same spirit he used to build his cabin, with purposeful intent. Thinking of exploring a national park by yourself? [citation needed]. Bob edited the film and added sound to create this fascinating film of one man living alone in the Alaska wilderness. Welcome to The Official Richard Proenneke Website! Proenneke chose to live in this isolated wilderness without electricity, running water, telephone, or other modern 'necessities.'. After Dick Proennekes death, park rangers turned his cabin into a monument. He died of a stroke on April 20, 2003, at the age of 86. While working for a defense contractor at Cape Chiniak, Proenneke met Gale Carrithers. On my last visit to see Dick, in the late 1990s, he wanted to show some visitors the Teetering Rock above Hope Creek. What schools or universities did Richard attend? Two New Richard Proenneke DVD Documentaries are here! We stopped in at his cabin but without Dick there, it lacked everything that made it special to me. My backyard was a mountain, my front yard was a river and my best friends were the trails. His love of nature can be traced back to his mother, who enjoyed gardening. Would I love the isolation then? In 2011 a sequel was produced after enough footage for at least two more programs was discovered. 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. 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. when he died at the age of 86. He inherited his craftiness from his father William, a carpenter and well driller. Bush pilot and fishing guide John Erickson has been flying visitors to Twin Lakes for almost 25 years. And yet, his is not a story of man pitted against nature, enduring one hardship after another. If they had only slowed down to savor the moment. I think of Dick as a kindred spirit. Select the pencil to add details. He came to outside the crumpled remains of his beloved Arctic Tern. This cabin was well-situated on the lake and close to the site which Proenneke chose for the construction of his own cabin. Most of the footage is available at dickproenneke.com. This ushered in the 12 year, worldwide Great Depression. and you'll be alerted when others do the same. Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, by Bob Swerer 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. We've counted the ballots, and we're excited and impressed by you, the My agency only authorizes duty weapons for off-duty carry. 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. I was at Dicks place the day the associate directors visited. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. His pants were just flapping in the wind where the seam used to be. We continued to exchange letters for a few more years, even as Dicks health failed more and more. I felt so good, he continued, I just went ahead and did 100.. 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. Against his doctors advice, he returned to work on the sheep ranch in Oregon. He primarily stored his tools and a huge pile of wood in the shed. When they came in, he would pass out crackers and tell visitors, Now hold the cracker tight. I met Dick Proenneke in 1982 when I was a seasonal park ranger on my first summer assignment in Alaska. 53 minutes), Volume II "The Living Wilderness" picks up where Volume I leaves off with Richard moving to Kodiak, AK and on to Twin Lakes, AK. His observations have inspired several books and videos. Follow Richard Proenneke and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com's Richard Proenneke Author Page. The March was organized to address "the ills of black communities and call for unity and revitalization of African American communities". As he put it, To look around at what you have accomplished in a day gives a man a good feeling. Canoeing with Dick was easy. Nonetheless, he had become such an integral part of the parks ecosystem that the rangers had trouble imagining life without him. Sadly, I missed his birthday, but I did get up to see him a week later. Dick never changed his clock for daylight savings time and thought it was dumb when Alaska merged all its time zones. Reminded of his own mortality, he knew he wanted to change his life. PO Box 227 99653, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. For Dick, nothing could be better than free film and a paycheck for doing what he loved. With One Mans Wilderness now in worldwide circulation, more and more folks came to visit, eager to meet the now living legend. Thanks to his carpenting skills, Proenneke was able to construct a cozy cabin from trees he cut and carved on his own. How I wish I could tell him about it in a letter and seek his thoughts. The following is excerpted from " The Handcrafted Life of Dick Proenneke ," by Monroe Robinson. 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. Then it was a simple matter of threading the needle with the line and getting on with the business of sewing his pants. Four years later, Proenneke died of a stroke on April 20, 2003. Friends can be as close as family. 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 They rode west and worked the wheat harvest in Oklahoma, then on to pick apples in Oregon. Dick Proenneke spent several years in the Alaskan city of Kodiak before moving up to Twin Lakes. Because of the continued success of his book One Man's Wilderness things changed dramatically. When old man winter forced him indoors, he enjoyed reading Thoreau and Leopold, both of which he was fond of quoting in his journals. In 1929, by the time he was just 13 years old, on October 29th (Black Tuesday), the stock market crashed in the United States. Copyright 1999-2023 AncientFaces, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dick captured much of his famous cabin build on film. The cabin Richard Proenneke would build on Twin Lakes in his 50s included a stone fireplace. 10 Outdoor Survival Skills That Everyone Should Master. An estimated 850,000 people attended. He took some line and threw it in the lake with a hook, and then we headed up behind his cabin. His journals and videos were used with permission in the documentary, 'Alone in the Wilderness', which aired on television in 2004. The world is full of such things., Proenneke left Twin Lakes in 1998, when he was 82, to move in with his brother in California. When 2 or more people share their unique perspectives, By the next summer he was back in Alaska. Dick on the other hand was a man of action, putting Thoreaus (and his own) ideas into practice for nearly 30 years. Richard Pronneke was an Iowa-born naturalist, writer, and wildlife photographer. Richard Dick Proenneke was born on May 4, 1916, in Primrose, Iowa the second of four sons. The wind was getting stronger, and the noise of Dicks flapping trousers was getting louder. Richard's birthday is in 44 days. He was a good friend and I miss our friendship and letter exchanges. One afternoon, the inseam of Dicks pants tore from his foot clear up to his crotch. In 1999, 82-year-old Richard Proenneke left his cabin and came to live with his brother Jake in Hemet, California. Even Babe Alsworth makes an appearance when he flies in to pick up Roy Allen. in the family tree section to add relatives, or press the "X" On May 21, 1968, Richard "Dick" Proenneke arrived at Twin Lakes, Alaska with a few simple hand tools and the intention to build a simple homestead for his retirement. Reflections on a Man in his Wilderness National Parks Conservation Billions of dollars were lost and some investors committed suicide as a result, having lost their fortunes. Wikimedia CommonsDick Proennekes built meat storage on stilts to keep off wild animals. 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. Although his needs were few, he did receive the occasional supply drop. He documented his solitary life in journals, photographs and videos, which became a treasure trove for naturalists. He had brought along his cameras in the hopes of filming his adventure and capturing as much of the areas wildlife he could find. Come see the Richard Proenneke Museum located inside the library. He stayed on for several years. A skilled carpenter, he decided to build the cabin all by hand from materials that he had collected around the site and basic tools that he had assembled. 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. That need has surfaced itself in my life as my ultimate goal. While at work at Chiniak he sustained an injury that nearly cost him his vision. Richard found and identified several of the wildlifes patterns he was hoping to film, and would steer away from these particular locations when he hiked with the Emersons or Roy Allen hunting for game. A welding accident that nearly cost Proenneke his eyesight proved the last straw. Watch as Richard and brother "Jake" salvage a crashed Ketchum plane in Lower Lake. the heart becomes full While waiting for redeployment, he was stricken with rheumatic fever in San Francisco. (His belongings were there but without him there it was an empty shell.) He lived in complete isolation for 30 years. 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. 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. Dick Proenneke, who had never caught as much as a cold, contracted rheumatic fever while stationed in San Francisco. In his minimalistic life he needed few material things. He later returned toOregon and found employment in the Blue Mountains on a large sheep and cattle ranch where he built remote herders camps. LOOK INSIDE -->. Pekin Obituaries | Local Obits for Pekin, IL - Legacy.com (2011), Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. He got to work with even bigger machines when joining the U.S. Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Unbelievable Story Of Dick Proenneke, The Man Who Lived Alone In The Alaskan Wilderness For 30 Years. . From hunter to conservationist - explore the evolution of Richard L. Proenneke's wilderness ethos. Physically, his lifestyle and attitudes about work kept him fit as a fiddle well intohis 70s. My partner, Tim Wingate, and I would be flown to Twin Lakes for a variety of assignments. I considered it an honor to have met and spent some time with this remarkable man. 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. Through the early 1970s, land usage debates raged in Alaska. He followed the practice of waste-not-want-not. Ive never known a person who could put as many miles on his legs as easily as Dick. Anyone wishing to keep up with him in the rugged terrain would most certainly sleep well that night. In 2017, a Richard Proenneke museum exhibit was opened at the Donnellson Public Library in Donnellson, Iowa, near Proenneke's hometown of Primrose. 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. Filmed in 1977, this 27 minute long documentary can be viewed online for free at the National Archives website. Peoria Remembers, powered by Legacy.com, is the most timely and comprehensive collection of Peoria obituaries and local obituaries from the Peoria area, updated regularly throughout the day as . Your tax-deductible membership donation of $25 or more entitles. Proenneke built his cabin using only hand tools, many of which he fashioned himself. It was the last time he would walk unassisted for another six months. AncientFaces is a place where our memories & family stories live. He worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service at King Salmon on the Alaska Peninsula. ." Proenneke has often been referred to as a hermit, alone and isolated and cut off from any type of contact. Six months later, he was discharged from both the hospital and the army. I remarked one time about how clean his cabins gravel floor was. Chris Degernes made Dick chocolate peanut clusters a few times a year. At age 51, I decided to find out.. Come in out of the subzero and shiver yourself warm in front of a wood fire? Port Alsworth, More often than not, fresh meat came in the form of the porcupines that insisted on chewing down his cabin. By then, he was more frail but still able to make his way up the trail to his favorite rock. There, surrounded by mighty glaciers and solemn pine trees, he would remain for the next 30 years. 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. The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1967-1973 More Readings From One Man's Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1974-1980 Watch Proenneke's last visit to his cabin at Upper Twin Lake in the year 2000 at the age of 84. Richard Louis Proenneke (1916 - 2003) - WikiTree Author: Richard L. Proenneke 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.. There, surrounded by mighty glaciers and solemn pine trees, he would remain for the next 30 years. Invite family and friends to share what they know about Richard L Proenneke. After 56 years, Richards first handwritten Journal has found its way back to his film. He possessed tremendous attention to detail as the faintest track or the slightest movement was sure to catch his eye. The site is a popular attraction for many who want to personally experience parts of Proenneke's life and values. 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.. Dick had scores of fans from all over the U.S. and beyond. In 1995, when he was 79 years old, on October 16th, the Million Man March took place on the National Mall in Washington DC. He did not walk off the map seeking gold, fur or famealthough the latter would eventually find himhe simply set out to test himself and live an honest, hardworking life. 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 (1968-1998) in the mountains of Alaska in a log cabin that he constructed by hand near the shore of Twin Lakes. In this edition readers find him going about his daily chores, documenting wildlife behavior, and . Dick Proenneke lived a life many of us dream about but only a few hardy souls could actually pull off. 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. Proenneke often credited his Iowa farm upbringing with giving him the skills needed to hunt, fish, and fend for himself. In 2020, the fifth and final collection of Proenneke's journals, Reaching the End of the Trail: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 19922000 was published. He went with the intent of raising cattle on Kodiak Island but it was not to be. Although its been years since Dicks passing, I still think of him whenever I see something unusual or interesting in the natural world. The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1967-1973, More Readings From One Man's Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1974-1980. Proenneke's Cabin - Lake and Peninsula, Alaska - Atlas Obscura I was not sure it was true, but I had been told that if Dick liked and accepted you, he would invite you for a cup of tea. Eating fresh blueberries in a spot along the Chilikadrotna River. He recorded the building process on film. It seemed everyone wanted to meet "The Man." He encouraged Proenneke to use the site instead. Bob Swerer produced the video "The Frozen North" in 2006. He saw his correspondence, films, and journals as a way to share a life untethered to the commercial world. The early 1980s must have been an anxious time for Dick and many others who lived inside the boundaries of newly created parks and preserves. Tom Betts is currently superintendent of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Some parks are using reservation systems to manage crowds and ensure visitor access. Dick Proenneke's Cabin On Twin Lakes Alaska - YouTube His friend and Lake Clark National Park employee John Branson edited his journals to publish two books, 'More Readings From One Man's Wilderness' and 'The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 19671973'. He briefly attended high school but dropped out after just two years. next to their name to remove from the family tree. Despite his remote location and fierce independence, Dick was not a hermit; he maintained friendships and wrote back to anyone who sent him a letter. This section is to introduce Richard Proenneke with highlights of his life and how he is remembered. Alone in the Wilderness: Part 2 premiered on December 2, 2011. old . He also admired motorcycles and obtained a Harley Davidson as a teen. Fans of the book (and the other publications and films) admire Proennekes self-sufficiency, close observations of nature and unencumbered, off-the-grid lifestyle.

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