Fond remembrance of Emmerich

Scott Emmerich was one of the finest people I have ever known. Like most North Forkers, I first met him in his capacity as Polebridge Subdistrict Ranger. He was a marvel. In part he was like the old time rangers. He could cover miles in the mountains of his district, climb mountains, ford streams, rescue lost hikers, perform backcountry first aid and transport the injured to a road. I don’t know how well he knew Jerry DeSanto, one of his predecessors at Polebridge, but their love of the backcountry was similar and I am sure they would have liked each other.

Like Jerry, Scott had other skills as well. Where Jerry was a fantastic scholar, Scott was a fantastic people person. He could host or conduct a meeting with amazing skill and humor. Even dull topics became fun if Scott was running the meeting. I suspect his people skills could have carried him further up the Park Service career ladder, if that had been his ambition.

I asked about his career once and he said he was right where he wanted to be until he retired.

Even people who did not see him in his official Park capacity were likely to have seen him in his fun-loving mode as he organized and took part in Glacier Park’s parade floats at the Fourth of July parade in downtown Polebridge.

The floats were the centerpiece of the parade for several years and involved most of Glacier’s Polebridge subdistrict staff. They were humorous and well thought out and involved a lot of work. Costumes were neat and obviously took time to create, not to mention the rehearsal time they had to be involved. I will always remember Scott yelling out “Don’t panic, we are from the government and we are here to help.” Behind him was a huge bear live trap, which they threw me into.

There was also Reggie Altop in a pink tutu. I wonder how Scott convinced him to wear that.

We were all disappointed when the floats were no longer a part of the parade, but thankful that Emmrich was still available as an emergency medical technician, especially when a parade spectator suffered a heart attack.

Glacier Park employees under Scott were always quick to respond to any emergency on the North Fork, medical or a house on fire or a car accident. Scott and Reggie were always there.

I always looked forward to a visit from Reg or Scott during hunting season. They would patrol the North Fork Road to the international border and talk to me about access across my property to Kishenehn Cabin, where someone would often stay during hunting season.

What many folks did not see was Scott’s service as a Trustee on the District 6 School Board. We sat next to each other and, although we did not always agree, we were both student advocates and supporters of public education. We always worked to make schools better for our students.

He is missed and will not be forgotten.

Larry Wilson’s North fork Views appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.