[cobirds] Announcing the passing of a great man, Joe Himmel.

Greeley resident, Joseph Himmel, retired vocal music professor at the University of Northern Colorado and keen birder,

died yesterday at age 96, after a gradual decline in recent years, announced by a mutual friend, Dick Maxfield of Greeley.

The family announced that there would be no public services. Dick promised to forward an obituary when it appears.

Joe was a special guy, curious about the natural world, a great companion and friend to all. He lived an authentic live. In fact Colorado Field 

Ornithologists created the Lifetime Achievement Award just to honor Joe, the first recipient. Joe set a good example

for us all with his knowledge, patience and good humor. If an empid flew away before we could put a name on it, his advice was,

"Don't worry, just wish it well!" 

Joe's favorite birding haunts were Lower Latham Reservoir, the Pawnee Grassands and Riverside Reservoir, where he had special permission to survey birds.

He visited those places repeatedly, often turning up interesting or rare birds and was the very model of a birder who "worked his patch." 

He was a member of Greeley Audubon Society and Colorado Field Ornithologists. On a Greeley Christmas Bird Count he made a quick observation of what was almost certainly

Colorado's first Eurasian Collared Dove, but was a modest man and titled his CFO Journal article with a question mark, "Colorado's First Eurasian Collared Dove?"

Joe, you will me missed. 

And let's not forget that in Austrian, "Himmel" is the word for "Heaven."

Joe Roller, Denver

If you have stories or memories of Joe Himmel, please send them to me or CObirds, so they will not be lost.

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