[TN-Bird] Don DeFoe Dies
- From: "Charles P. Nicholson" <cpnichol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "TN-Bird Listserve (E-mail)" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 14:41:36 -0500
Don DeFoe, one of the longest serving Great Smoky Mountains National Park
employees and a former TOS member, died last Sunday, February 2. Don was a
member of the Knoxville Chapter and compiled the GSMNP Christmas Bird Count
for several years. The following is from the park's weekly "Resource
Management and Science" newsletter
Chuck N.
Norris, TN
February 3, 2003
PARK SADDENED BY PASSING OF DON DEFOE: It is with sadness that we report
longtime Great Smoky Mountains National Park employee Don DeFoe, 68, died
Sunday morning, after a nearly 2 year battle with cancer. One of the
longest serving employees the Smokies has ever had, Don had nearly 46 years
of federal service including early on with the US Army, seasonal
appointments at Yosemite National Park, and Mt. Rainier National Park. Don
was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where he
studied wildlife conservation under Dr. A. Starker Leopold (son of
America's most influential early ecologist, Aldo Leopold). His permanent
employee assignments as a park ranger included Pinnacles National Monument,
Lake Mead National Recreational Area and Blue Ridge Parkway, although most
of his career was spent at the Smokies.
Until his passing, Don was the Park's Museum Curator and as such was
responsible for preserving and documenting the Park's internationally known
biodiversity. He had also served many years as a park ranger in the visitor
services or interpretive division, and was involved in many different
aspects of park management. Don worked to increase and upgrade the
publications offered in the Park's visitor centers, some of which have won
national awards. He also used research findings as a theme to re-configure
the natural history exhibits at Sugarlands Visitor Center years ago, when
there was funding for replacement.
Don was a co-founder (with University of Tennessee) of the Smoky Mountain
Field School; for 25 years it has brought the public together in the field
with scientists to do 1-day intensive learning about a single aspect of
natural resources. He also worked to expand the Wildflower Pilgrimage in
April each year. Hundreds of amateur naturalists converge during the
Pilgrimage to celebrate the spring bloom and other facets of natural
history across the Park in guided hikes, presentations and displays. Month
after next the Park will host the 53rd such annual gathering. Due to his
accomplishments, only a few of which are outlined here, Don was promoted
several times eventually becoming the Assistant Chief of the Visitor
Services Division, which serves more visitors than any other national park.
Seven years ago Don transferred to the Resource Management and Science
Division as curator, where he organized and upgraded the natural science
collections, which already included many hundreds of specimens that he had
collected. Some of his collections represent species which are rare,
endemic, or undescribed to science. When popular focus was on the larger,
"charismatic" species of animals and plants, Don helped us to see the
ecological wisdom of protecting even the most seemingly obscure species.
He was a member of a team selected to go to Costa Rica in 1998 to plan the
Smokies' All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory; based on what had been learned
down there as part of a global effort to discover the planet's species. He
received numerous special achievement awards and the Department or
Interior's Award for Superior Service in 1997.
An authority on the natural history of the Park, and highly skilled in
field biology, Don DeFoe was one of the last "old-time naturalists" in the
best tradition of the National Park Service. In an age of increasing
specialization, he strived to know and if possible understand all the parts
of one of the most complex natural systems in the temperate world. He also
marveled at and loved its beauty. Don was well known to hundreds of
scientists over the years, and collaborated on manuscripts with them. He
was also a valued and helpful source of information for his many park
colleagues, friends in the community and visitors alike. Everyone received
Don's time and full attention when they needed something.
A naturally shy and self-effacing person, Don also had quite a wry sense of
humor. He was extremely well organized and meticulous about work; his
counsel was very well respected, and sought on many issues. He was also
mentally tough - up until his sickness, he either ran, bicycled or swam
every day - and was rigorous about other aspects of his life, as well.
Those of us who had the honor of working with Don DeFoe are deeply saddened
by the loss of our friend, but also inspired by the personal and
professional examples he set.
Don is survived by his wife Shirley, son Jay, daughter Lori and 2
grandchildren. In accordance with Don's wishes there will be a private,
family service. The Park is planning a memorial service for employees and
partners. The DeFoe family has asked that those wishing to make donations
do so to a fund set up in Don's name to preserve the natural history
collections of the Park. Send donations to: The Friends of Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, P. O. Box 5650, Sevierville, Tennessee 37864,
telephone (865) 453-2428 or donations may be made to the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society at 446 Metroplex Drive, Nashville, Tennessee 37211.
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