Robert A. Everson, 68, died May 23, 2002 as a result of an early morning kitchen fire in his Sugar House home in Salt Lake City, His faithful dog Rusty, died near him.
Bob was born on May 12, 1934 in Longmont, Co,, the only son of Arthur and Dorothy Everson. His father was the long-time Sheriff of Boulder County
He is survived by his sister Shirley (Clyde) Rink of Longmont. He also leaves countless friends who share a deep sense of loss.
Bob graduated from high school in Boulder, Colorado, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, earned his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the University of Colorado, and received his Ph.D. in 1968 in Physiology
from the University of California at Berkeley. He moved to Utah in 1969 to do research at the University of Utah. He taught at Westminster College, Clark County Community College in Las Vegas, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, Santa Barbara City College and Salt Lake Community College until his retirement in 1999. Bob will be remembered as a published scholar and cancer researcher, a river guide and environmentalist, a track and field enthusiast, a marathon runner, a collector of ethnic artifacts, a fan of plays and opera, and a lover of dogs. He treated Odon, Freig, Sancho, Rusty and Sarah as his children. Bob was a hiker, skier and white water rafter. He loved Utah, Hawaii and Alaska. He traveled outside the U.S. to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, the Bahamas, Mexico, Turkey, Iceland, Russia's Lake Baykal (the world's largest fresh water lake), wild animal preserves in Kenya and Tanzania, and the Yukon and western Canada. He did all this despite having diabetes all his adult life.
His friends will miss him greatly his hugs and humor on river trips and BBQs, his shrimp and fine wine at Super Bowl parties. Bob and Rusty's bodies were cremated together. His lone surviving dog Sarah has been adopted by friends.
A memorial service will be held on the Westminster College campus, at the outdoor amphitheater west of the Library, on Friday, May 31, 2002 at 4:00 p.m. (You may bring folding chairs.) Donations may be made to the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter, the Wasatch Mountain Club or the Nature Conservancy.