Sad news from out west, my friends...
by Kalin
Everyone,
It makes my heart heavy to bring this news to you. This is a re-post from http://www.boatwerks.net. Naomi was a talented C1 paddler that was a pleasure to be around. She will be deeply missed by all. Take care and play safe.
Kalin
We lost an amazing member of our paddling community on Monday in the Revelstoke avalanche. Naomi Heffler, from Calgary, was killed while enjoying another one of her passions, back country skiing. Naomi was an amazing C1 paddler, often seen carving it up on the Ottawa, Gatineau, Lachine Rapids, Crowe bridge, and locally here in Ottawa, at Champlain. Naomi was a friend while she lived in Ottawa in 2000-2001, before she returned to finish her engineering degree in Calgary. A true lover of the outdoors, she was always on the river or in the mountains. She spent this past summer guiding raft trips down the Nahanni, and we missed her at our local rivers and festivals. Attached is her obituary sent by her family. Please join our group from Ottawa in sharing your condolences to her family for their tragic loss, as Naomi was a great daughter, sister, and friend. Naomi will be truly missed by all of us who had the honour of knowing her. Rob Faubert will be dedicating a page to Naomi on his website Holeriders.com with the shots he has taken of her over the last couple of years. It will be posted later today. I hope you all remember her as she was in these pictures, loving life with a big smile on her face!
OBITUARY
HEFFLER - Naomi Grace 1977 - 2003
Naomi Grace Heffler passed away in the Selkirk Mountains of B.C. on Monday, January 20, 2003, at the age of 25 years.
A native Calgarian, Naomi attended Highwood Elementary School, George P. Vanier, and William Aberhart. She graduated from the University of Calgary in 2002 with a degree in Chemical Engineering after having spent her internship in Ottawa at CH2M HILL. An outdoor enthusiast, Naomi enjoyed all outdoor pursuits with family and friends in the Rockies. She was a guide with Churchill River Canoe Outfitters for several years as well as with Nahanni Wilderness Adventures. Naomi was a member of the University of Calgary swim team and a swim coach at the Calgary Winter Club. She was also a canoe and kayak instructor with Rocky Mountain Paddling Centre.
Naomi is survived by her loving parents Lyn and Howard, her sister Laura, and dear friend Dave Galasso, all of Calgary. She is also survived by her grandmother Mrs. Burnice Heffler of Bedford, NS as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins in Canada and Australia. We have lost Naomi's living body in the mountains but her spirit remains behind with all who knew her.
Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY'S "Chapel of the Bells", (2720 Centre Street North), on Saturday, January 25, 2003 at 3:00 P.M.
In lieu of flowers memorial tributes may be made to:
The Canadian Avalanche Centre P.O. 2759, Revelstoke, B.C. Canada V0E 2S0
To e-mail expressions of sympathy: condolences@mcinnisandholloway.com. Subject Heading: Naomi Heffler
In living memory of Naomi Heffler, a tree will be planted at Nose Creek Valley by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, "Chapel Of The Bells", 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, TELEPHONE: (403) 276-2296.
Posted on Jan 23, 2003, 11:42 AM
Sad news from out west, my friends...
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