Obituary of Robert Welling Smurr

Robert Smurr passed away peacefully in Olympia, Washington, on December 31, 2017. Born January 17, 1961 in Sacramento, California, Rob lived life to the fullest and without regret. Rob was as much at home in a classroom as in the great outdoors; both environments in which he excelled. He attributed this to “being raised by outdoorsy parents and siblings near the banks of California’s majestic American River; living Twain-ian summers in, on, and around that river; endlessly exploring the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range on extended backpacking, climbing, and skiing trips; and never tiring of doing any of the above.” Not surprisingly, Rob grew to be an accomplished recreational athlete, completing numerous marathons and triathlons, scaling rock walls and major peaks, and kayaking wherever he could put a boat in water. Rob credited his “endlessly enjoyable boyhood years” for giving him the confidence to develop the two skills – mountaineering and Russian language – that allowed him to reach his goals of becoming a history professor and professional travel guide. He met the love of his life, Rebecca “Becky” Cook, while attending Hiram Johnson High School. They married soon after graduation and set off on a lifetime of study and travel adventures together. Rob completed his undergraduate degree in Political Science at the University of California, Davis, then went on to gain greater mountaineering and Russian language skills courtesy of the United States Army. He was stationed at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California for two years, then served four years in Augsburg, Germany as a Russian Radio Voice Intercept Operator. Climbing, skiing, and kayaking buddies were never in short supply and cherished friendships, that continue to this day, were forged during that time. In 1990, he transferred from Active Duty to the Reserves and moved to Seattle to enter the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Finishing the program with an M.A., he then went on to complete a Ph.D., publishing an environmental history of Estonia that integrated his deep knowledge of European, Russian, and Soviet history with his passion for the natural world, mastering the German and Estonian languages along the way. Beginning in the fall of 2000, Rob taught Russian, Eurasian and Environmental History at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, first as a visiting instructor and then as a full-time member of the faculty. His role was to provide a rich historical backdrop against which students also studied literature, culture, and language. Additionally, he taught courses on environmental history and sustainability, as well as ecotourism. At Evergreen, Rob found a community that was in harmony with his intellectual and personal drives, where he could teach from both mind and heart. Rob’s students describe his impact on them as life changing: “Rob radiates an aura of enthusiasm that can be felt by all.” Students were inspired by his openness to new ideas, his “quirky” sense of humor, his passion for teaching, for how he challenged their thinking and pushed them to excel. Rob was that rare scholar and dedicated environmentalist, who knew how to facilitate learning in a classroom, a tide pool or a tent. Hundreds of students experienced his enthusiasm for wild places through study trips all across Washington State. Summers he often lead students on month-long backpacking treks in remote mountainous regions of the former Soviet Union, such as Kyrgyzstan, Siberia, and the Republic of Georgia. Rob also moonlighted as a professional trekking guide for REI Adventures and Mountain Travel Sobek for almost two decades, introducing hundreds more private clients to mountain ranges and local cultures around the globe. After being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2005, chemotherapy and radiation sapped his strength, but not his enthusiasm for life. In 2014, in between treatments, he backpacked 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, solo. In keeping with PCT tradition of naming fellow hikers, he was dubbed “Chemo Robbie.” Rob retired from his “dream job” at TESC in 2016. His family was proud to see him honored just this past November in a small private ceremony in recognition of his twenty years of military service. As the end neared, and per Rob’s wishes, he was cared for at home until he died peacefully in his own bed with his wife and mother by his side in the early hours of the last day of 2017. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Rebecca Smurr; mother, Claire Smurr; sisters, Gretchen Smurr and Kerry Figgins; brother, Doug Smurr; numerous nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Gussie. Robert was predeceased by his father, Peter H. Smurr; and sister, Maryalice Helm. The family asks that memorial gifts be made to support Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice. Gifts can be made online at www.providence.org/giving, or mailed to Providence St. Peter Foundation, 413 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506. In addition, a scholarship fund is being established at the University of Washington to honor Rob’s memory. The Robert Smurr Memorial Fund will support scholars working in the fields of History and Environmental Studies. To make a donation, visit giving.uw.edu/smurr and select Friends of History Fund. After entering your gift amount, you will have an opportunity to indicate that this gift is in memory of Robert Smurr in the “in honor or memory of” section. Gifts may also be mailed to UW Foundation, Attention: Nick Peyton, University of Washington, Box 354882, Seattle, WA 98195. Please leave memories of Rob or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.