Keith Alan Echelmeyer

1954 - 2010

Keith Alan Echelmeyer, 56, passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, Oct. 2, 2010, after courageously battling brain tumors for 8 1/2 years. Keith died with dignity, as he wanted, in his own home, surrounded by friends, in the embrace of his wife, Susan Campbell. His parents, Patty and Bill Echelmeyer, welcomed him to the world on Aug. 14, 1954 in Denver, Colo.
Keith had an adventurous childhood skiing, hiking, camping, and arrowhead-hunting in the Rockies with his mom, dad and sister, Randy Sue. Adventures with his dad ignited a passion for climbing and exploring. An active member of the Colorado Mountain Club-Juniors, Keith spent his adolescence climbing, skiing and paddling throughout Colorado with a close group of kindred spirits who grew to be life-long friends.
Keith graduated from Jefferson High School (class of '72) and Summa Cum Laude with BAs in physics and math from University of Colorado-Boulder (1976). He went on to earn a MS (1978) and a PhD (1983) in geophysics from California Institute of Technology and worked extensively on Blue Glacier in Olympic National Park. Keith is internationally recognized as an outstanding glaciologist. During his two decades as a professor of geophysics at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Keith mentored many graduate students and felt privileged to work with many talented colleagues on an array of research projects in Alaska, Greenland, Patagonia, and Antarctica.
He was a pioneer in airborne laser-altimitry and used his Piper PA-12 aircraft to measure dramatic changes in Alaska glaciers. In July 2002, he co-authored an article in Science that highlighted the contribution of Alaska glaciers to sea-level rise and garnered worldwide media attention. Keith also worked on calving and surging glaciers in Alaska, on the world's fastest flowing glacier in Greenland and conducted extensive research on the shear margins of Antarctic ice streams. He was featured in a Discovery Channel program, "Understanding Ice," and on the PBS series, 'Scientific Frontiers'. In 2003, the International Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names honored his work by renaming an ice stream the Echelmeyer Ice Stream. Keith received the Usibelli Award for Excellence in Research at UAF in 2002. Receiving these awards was a humbling experience and he always appreciated the support he received from UAF and from his colleagues around the globe.
As author and co-author of more than 50 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, Keith's work will continue to influence ongoing glacier research worldwide. Keith was driven by an intrinsic curiosity about the natural world and a deep love for wilderness. As one friend wrote, "Keith sought out adventures, both physical and intellectual, and pursued them with unbounded energy and a spirit of joy in the beauty and mystery of (it all)." His life story is packed with adventures around the globe: Antarctica, Australia, China, Russia, New Zealand, Patagonia, Greenland, European Alps, arctic Canada, and every corner of Alaska. He also found great pleasure in simple things: watching chickadees at the bird feeder, discovering twin-flowers on the Skarland Trail, viewing the aurora from his porch, creating delicious meals and baking heaps of Christmas cookies for his friends.
He was an an avid bird watcher and an incessant reader. He was indefatigable in all of his pursuits, including his biggest challenge: being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in June 2002. Keith and Susan were married in 1996. Susan wrote, "We were soul-mates, life-partners, best friends. The geography of our life together was a varied landscape; each conversation/experience/adventure formed part of the foundation that gave us strength to confront the challenges that assaulted us when Keith got sick. He understood the reality of having brain tumors, but he never relinquished his life to them. Through excruciating losses, he never, ever, gave up. Even when he was overwhelmed by sorrow, when he felt his cognitive skills "draining out the bottom of his feet," he strove to reshape his life. Relearning how to ski and completing a 12-day backpack trip in the Brooks Range in 2009 were two stunning accomplishments. He never got stuck in the black hole of "why me," but was always full of gratitude for every good thing that happened along the way. He was inspired by this John Muir quote (c. 1871): "As long as I live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I'll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and avalanche. I'll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can."
The way Keith lived his life is inspiring evidence that a whole life is possible: a thriving professional life, a rich adventure life, a deep spiritual life, a loving personal life all intertwined like a braided river moving nearer to the heart of the world. It was my great fortune to navigate that river with him for 16 years. Keith was proceeded in death by his father, William (Bill) Echelmeyer. Keith is survived by his wife, Susan Campbell of Fairbanks, AK; mother, Patty Echelmeyer of Denver, CO; sister, Randy Sue Fosha and her husband, Ken Fosha; nephews, Ryan Fosha and Justin Fosha, Justin's wife, Gretta, and their daughter, Peyton, all of Granby, CO. Keith's body was cremated and his ashes will be buried in a special place he requested. There will be a celebration of Keith's life on Oct. 24 in the Wood Center ballroom on the UAF campus at 1 p.m. Condolences may be sent to Keith's family in care of Susan Campbell at 1042 Eldorado Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709 or to susanandkeith@acsalaska.net.