Elmer Simpson (1920-1980)
Biography:
Elmer was born on January 14, 1920 in Salem, Oregon. He served in
the U.S. Army during WW II as a Medical Technician. After receiving an honorable
discharge in 1945, Elmer started his own logging business while at the same time
maintaining a farming and cattle operation. Elmer began his civilian career with the
Federal Government in 1953 as a First Aid Attendant for the Maritime Administration in
Astoria, OR. In 1960, following a brief break in service, Elmer came to work for the
USFWS as a maintenance man at Desert National Wildlife Refuge. During his 20 years
at Desert, Elmer's ingenuity, versatility and quiet dependability contributed immeasurable
to the Service, the Wildlife Range and the resource. As much at home erecting and
operation a sheep trap as he was overhauling or operating heavy equipment, Elmer provided
the logistical support necessary for much of the early Desert Bighorn Sheep research
conducted by biologists such as Deming, Hansen and Helvie. Nowhere on Desert
National Wildlife refuge is there a wildlife habitat improvement that Elmer didn't have a
hand in. Elmer was the best friend the desert bighorn ever had. During
his tenure at Desert National Wildlife Range, the longest of any Fish and Wildlife Service
employee, he was involved in every phase of sheep management from conducting waterhold
composition counts to erecting water catchments. Elmer's diversity and ability to
accomplish an almost endless variety of maintenance tasks made the jobs of those managers
and biologists, who has the pleasure of working with him, much easier. To say that
"he is is sorely missed and will be for years to come" is a gross
understatement. A deeply religious man, Elmer lived by the old adage, "If you
can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all." His death created a void
which cannot be filled and he'll be profoundly missed by all of us who knew or worked with
him.
Source: E.M. Kisler, friends, and colleagues in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Cause of Death:
On August 26, 1980, Refuge Mangers Yoder, Kisler and Zeller and
maintenance man Simpson assisted Frontier Radio Inc. with the installation of a new tower
and antenna at Hayford Peak repeater station. All personnel and materials were
airlifted to the peak by a helicopter owner and operated by Silver State Helicopter
Company out of Las Vegas. At approximately 1:00 p.m. the Refuge employees leaded the
government equipment on the "chopper" and boarded for the flight back to their
trucks at Deadman Train. On take off the helicopter lost power, dropped, struck the
south slope of Hayford Peak, rolled over, and skidded down hill approximately 75
years. Elmer Simpson was thrown from the aircraft on impact and died from the
injuries received despite the efforts of emergency medical technicians from Valley
Hospital's "Flight for Life."
Source: Desert National Wildlife Refuge 1980 Annual Narrative
Report.