SierraScape Spring 2021
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IN MEMORY OF BOB GESTEL

By George Behrens

Photo contributed by George Behrens.

Bob Gestel, one of the most dynamic outings leaders the EMG has ever had, died January 21, 2021, the result of a broken hip. He was born December 22, 1928, in Dollar Bay, a town on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Bob was a hiker, a backpacker, a trailbuilder, a pet lover, a mountain climber, a shipwreck diver, a runner, a cross country skier and an excellent photographer.

In his second time around leading outings for the Sierra Club, Bob led his first hike in March of 1990. In January of 1991 Bob led the first of his many winter backpacks. In April of 1992 Bob, along with Paul Stupperich, started leading their popular Beginner Backpacks. They also led many hikes. Bob also led many Outings on his own. He led hundreds of trips and spent thousands of hours leading them and serving on the Trails and Outings Committees.

In 1995 Bob, with George Behrens, started work on the video, How to Lead a Hike. The project was completed in 2002 and is still used to train outings leaders. From 2002 until 2013 Bob, with Paul, was Co-chair of the Trails Committee. Many trails were built and maintained in the Pioneer Forest and Hawn State Park. By 2017 Bob's hiking days were over. His last Sierra Club outing was a campout at Hawn in the fall of 2017. He was content to sit in camp and enjoy being outside. He continued as a member of the Outings Committee.

Everyone respected Bob. He was incredibly tolerant. We never heard him brag. Until he was in his early eighties we never doubted his capability on trips. He was totally self-reliant. If there was some way he could help, he did. We all hoped we could be kind of like Bob but we knew we could never be that capable.

IN MEMORY OF JACK HARRIS

By Francine Glass

Jack Harris (right) with fellow Sierra Club Members Dan Lehocky and Dana Barhard.

A dear friend to many Sierrans, Jack Harris died February 14, 2021 at the age of 91. Throughout his life, he was a committed environmentalist. I was the beneficiary of the environmental knowledge he shared with his friends.

Jack was an active Sierra Club member for over 50 years, having joined the organization in 1968. He served many roles within the Ozark Chapter, which prior to the Missouri Chapter, included Missouri and Arkansas, and 13 counties in southern Illinois. Over the years he volunteered as Chapter Chair and served as Editor for the Ozark Sierran Newsletter from 1976 through 1981. The publication was an extensive 8-page newsletter and Jack wrote many of the articles himself. His other roles included Chair for the Eastern Missouri Group, field trip leader, Delegate to the Citizens Committee for Soil and Water Conservation and MO State Parks, Ozark Chapter Conservation Committee Member. Throughout these years he demonstrated great leadership skills. I'm sure many of our chapter members recall fond memories of outings and Sierra Club meetings with Jack.

Jack's hobbies included bird watching, native plant study and wildflower photography. Jack kept bird feeders full of seeds and suet to attract the native songbirds to the backyard of the family home in St. Louis County for over 50 years. He also planted several species of Missouri native plants in his front and back yards. Jack would take his family on frequent weekend hikes in the Ozark mountains, camping, and on float trips on several of the sparkling, clear and cold Ozark streams in the family's two canoes. He and his family traveled to all 50 states and 4 provinces and 1 territory in Canada. Jack passed away after a brief bout with cancer on February 14, 2021. His wife Pat Harris predeceased him in September, 2017. Jack and Pat were married 62 years at the time of her passing. I miss them both.