LEHNERT, Emery Carl (Smoky)

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, Arizona Tuesday, June 12, 2012 The grandson of one of the most famous Grand Canyon photographers and explorers died late last week, just months after his first visit to the park in more than 30 years. Emery Carl "Smoky" Lehnert, 83, of Park City, Mont., and Del Rio, Texas, died in Billings, Mont., on June 7 following a brief illness. Lehnert, an NAU graduate, was the grandson of Emery Kolb of the Kolb brothers' fame and son of Edith Kolb Lehnert and Eugene Carl Lehnert. For several years, he remained the oldest direct descendent of the Kolb brothers and worked to keep and honor their legacy. He was born Aug. 15, 1928, in Denver. He grew up on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon at Kolb Studio, located at the head of the Bright Angel Trail. There, he developed his lifelong passion for all things outdoors. According to the obituary released by his family, "This interest often led him into mischief as a child, whether it was climbing out of the schoolroom window when lessons became dull, raising a great horned owl or befriending chipmunks and deer." This past January, Lehnert visited Kolb Studio for the first time since his grandfather passed away in 1976 at the age of 95. He returned to the Grand Canyon for his mother's funeral a few years later, but did not return to the studio. Lehnert and his family's arrival at the Grand Canyon and Kolb Studio this year was a celebrated affair, and it came with the opening reception for "The Amazing Kolb Brothers: A Grand Life at Grand Canyon." He drove from his Montana home with his wife, daughter and granddaughter Kerstin Feldhaus to attend the reception. He also used the visit as an opportunity to share oral history with interpreters at the park. Recently, limited, off-season tours have started in the residence portion of the Kolb Studio building. People who were well-versed with the Kolbs' legacy and history observed how the arrival of Lehnert and his family received a gracious welcome from National Park Service officials. And the family showed an excitement and willingness to come celebrate the history with everyone. "To me, it's an interesting thing to see the Kolb family and the Park Service on amicable terms," said Brad Dimock, an avid Grand Canyon river enthusiast and historian, during the opening reception. He added, "There used to be a three-way battle among the Kolbs, the Park Service and the Fred Harvey Company. And it was vicious ... So, it's cool to see the Kolb family come back as special guests to the park." PARK CAREER Despite the conflicts between the Kolb brothers and the National Park Service through the years, Lehnert went on to be a Park Service employee, working in fire suppression, backcountry rescue, river and lake rescue, border security, law enforcement and as a naturalist and interpreter for four decades. He lived in all of the Southwest states before retiring from the National Park Service in 1985 in Del Rio. Lehnert met his wife, Lillian "Ruth" Miller, while the two attended Northern Arizona University. They shared a love of music and sang in the Shrine of the Ages Choir under the direction of Eldon (Pop) Ardrey. They married May 19, 1956, following Ruth's graduation with a degree in elementary education. Lehnert graduated in 1957 with a degree in biology. According to the obituary, when he and Ruth married, he made her three promises: that she would always have a roof over her head, although it sometimes might be canvas; that she would always have food; and that she would never be bored for long. "He kept all three promises," she said. They were married 56 years. FAMILY LEGACY Emery and Ellsworth Kolb first arrived at the Grand Canyon from their Pittsburgh home in 1902. They photographed tourists on the Bright Angel Trail and embarked on various Grand Canyon adventures. Many historians agree that what Ansel Adams did for Yosemite Valley the Kolbs did for Grand Canyon. As much showmen as artists, the Kolbs climbed ledges, lassoed trees and dangled from ropes to get just the right photograph. A hundred years ago in 1911 and 1912, they were the first to create motion picture footage of running the Colorado River by boat from Wyoming through the Grand Canyon. The movie ran at the Kolb studio daily from 1915 to 1976, making it the longest running film in history. They are also noted for the sheer volume of work produced as commercial photographers. Northern Arizona University Cline Library Special Collections houses more than 75,000 images captured by the Kolbs. INTERMENT AT GRAND CANYON Lehnert is survived by his wife, Ruth Lehnert, of Park City; son William Kolb Lehnert (Caridad) of Katy, Texas; daughter Jennifer Susan Draper (Gary) of Park City;four granddaughters and one grandson. Cremation has taken place for Lehnert. A service for friends and family will be Thursday at Smith Funeral Chapel in Laurel, Mont., at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made to the Grand Canyon Association, P.O. Box 399, Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023, or by going to www.grandcanyon.org/support/support_pages_tribute.asp. The family also requests that tributes can be made to the Special Collections at Cline, P.O. Box 6022, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-6022, or by visiting library.nau.edu/information/giving.html. Interment will be at a later date at Pioneer Cemetery in Grand Canyon. The National Park Service confirmed that they have been in contact with the family regarding their request. The "Amazing Kolb Brothers" exhibit remains up at Kolb Studio on the South Rim until Sept. 4. Learn more at www.grandcanyon.org.