Thoughts of Sigrid
November 27, 2009
Filed under Journal, Remembering Sigrid
I can’t begin to express all that you taught me, but I’m going to try …
You taught me an ever-growing appreciation of and respect for living things. We were never without animals, always had a dog and some kitties when I was a child. You kept the most gorgeous garden. You often pointed out the more subtle beauties of the world around us. It’s not surprising then that I noticed baby birds in trouble and brought them home to you. Those babies set you on a path that led to the saving of thousands of injured and orphaned raptors, and in walking that path you inspired hundreds of people! But that’s not nearly all you taught me.
You taught me how to start my day by the cheerful way you greeted each and every morning. From you I learned the value of forbearance in the patient way you dealt with daily frustrations. I learned to love reading because you read to me. You taught me to pick my battles as you struggled to raise four kids far away from all your family. In our rebellious teens you loved us despite ourselves, and so as your child I felt an unconditional love. I also learned the meaning of clean, how to make Schnitzel, Knoedel, and Apricot Kuchen, and a sentimental love for old things and wildflowers.
From you I learned avocation and altruism, that serving a cause greater than myself is a sure way to happiness, even if that cause is saving just one tiny bird in downy feathers. I learned an uncommon awe in the proximity of eagles. I learned real empathy in caring for baby owls. In the establishment of one of the finest rehabilitation centers ever built, you taught me that anything worth doing is worth doing right and also to follow my dreams. I learned how to work hard by working beside you, in a place where the work was essentially endless. I learned that volunteerism means asking for the job that nobody else wants to do. You taught me integrity and how to stand by my convictions in your tireless efforts to improve the lives of captive raptors, and in your adamant care of the creatures that came into your hands. You showed me forward-thinking in all the childrens programs you gave and the seminars you organized. When you forced yourself to put down a bird with no chance for recovery to a decent life in freedom, I saw your strength and learned a new kind of compassion. I learned both hope and perseverance when you absolutely refused to give up, working harder than ever through lean times, a few episodes of mind-numbing burn-out, and more heartbreak than anyone should have to endure.
You taught me the joy of seeing truly the world around me, to know the landscape is full of the hidden stories of the wild things that live in it, and is not just the backdrop and scenery in the story of own life. It’s a priceless gift, to know and love and respect any creature for the endlessly complex, uniquely individual, and precious being that it is, in and of itself, nothing to do with me. Yours is the hand that has added a lifetime of richness to my days …
I see hawks everywhere.
I know the names of the singers hidden in mountain evergreens and prairie grass.
I am haunted by owls.
I miss you more than I can say.
Ever your daughter, Elke
Thrift Shoppe
If you would like to share some of your own thoughts or memories of Sigrid, we invite you to comment here or send email to raptor@birds-of-prey.org.
Elke, this is a beautiful tribute to Sigrid. Having only met her in 2001, I only knew a portion of the woman you knew and loved. I loved her all the same. I am proud to have known your mother, and I will never forget her.
I am so sorry for your loss. Your mom was an incredible woman and I very much enjoyed my days at Birds of Prey. This is a lovely tribute. I will always miss her. I wish you and your family the best.
i am so honored that i got to meet her, she touched my life even in the brief time i met her. i know that meeting her altered the course of my life
What a beautiful tribute! I’m sorry I never got to meet her, but she left the world a better place. I’m sorry for your loss.
I am so deeply saddened by this news of Sigrid’s passing. I am proud to say that as a fellow Wildlife Rehabilitator, I got to know and learn from this incredibly brilliant woman! I can honestly say she was a friend and mentor to me. I encourage all who learned from her to band together and carry on what she gave to us in knowledge and in compassion, for there will be a huge hole without her . I never got to meet you, Elke, but I know your pain, as I lost my own incredible Father in April. I feel a similar loss in that your Mother was such a wonderful human being. My heart and thoughts are with you and your family, and I truly cannot express to you how I feel this loss in my own way. The world was such a better place with Sigrid in it. I will miss her very much!
I was so stunned to hear that Sigrid was gone. I lost my father the same day I heard from my sister in Boulder on 12/4/09. I had planned on coming to volunteer again over the holidays. She was a true angel, a guiding star, and my inspiration to follow in her footsteps. I truly loved this great lady and the work she did to help our feathered friends. Celeste Marsh, Grand Junction, CO
I have a catalog of memories of my encounter with birds of prey that spans several decades. Each is vivid. Some are from watching them in the wild: soaring on the thermals; a laboring to get aloft with prey; a great horn owl gliding over my shoulder in twilight; golden eagles perched along the Colorado River. Other memories are from my time at Birds of Prey. My most precious memory is of sitting with Sigrid in the ICU as she hand-fed an injured golden eagle. I was spellbound. Sigrid gently, but firmly, cradled this magnificent creature and it somehow knew she meant no harm. She had a rapport that transcended species. Sigrid’s deep compassion was matched by her dedication, tenacity, to keep the Foundation alive when circumstances threatened to shut it down. Sigrid had the grace and conviction to defend, heal and free creatures without a voice. I am deeply saddened that she is no longer with us. I am, however, blessed to have met her and pray that her legacy inspires many to keep Birds of Prey Foundation alive and well for many years to come.
My family had the amazing opportunity to meet Sigrid last summer on our vacation to Colorado. My middle son loves owls and I contacted Sigrid to see if she could show him some birds of prey while we were in CO. She spent hours with my family, showing us the ICU and then where the birds are kept. We saw first hand all the birds but also the wonderfulness of Sigrid and her deep love and commitment for caring for the birds. It was truly one of our favorite parts of the trip and we were so saddened to learn in the newsletter of her passing. Whether from Colorado or farther away (Maryland), we will all truly miss this amazing woman and her passion for saving these birds. We mourn from afar and hope she is soaring above us and watching over her friends, family, colleagues and all winged creatures.
Hello Elke,
There is nothing I can say to you now, nothing I can tell you about your mother you do not already know.
In July of 98 my wife Molly and I came upon a Golden Eagle in need of help and healing. Somehow we gathered the nerve to try and catch him and succeeded! He was in poor shape and made his way to your mother through the Byes in Steamboat.
Upon our arrival here in Atlanta we learned we were pregnant and were overjoyed at the prospect. There were complications that landed (Keenan) here early,too early. He survived 101 days in the neonatal ICU and then passed away. We were devastated to say the least.
In early April of 99,seeking some kind of good news,we thought of inquiring about “Sailor”. Your gracious mom said he was doing fine and was due to be released. We told Sigrid what we had been through and that we would love to participate in his release if it was possible. Being the healer that she is, she bent over backwards to accommodate our request, and I believe, in the process,stuck her neck out. Low and behold, in late May (I believe) we found ourselves in a rental car on our way to Steamboat with a vigorous “Sailor” shuffling in the crate in the back seat and with a new name “Keenan”. The release of this beautiful bird was one of the top 3 or 4 moments of my life and I cannot aptly describe how good it was for us.
I lost my dear little Molly in Sept. 06 and have been re-devastated again. We loved your mom instantly, and I know you are in pain now. The only thing I can say is we are, in the scheme of things,only moments away from seeing them again and the skies there will be full of birds and the sounds of joy will be deafening. May peace find you and stay a while. Steve
Not In Vain
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
– Emily Dickinson
I was just checking out the birds of prey for Colorado and came upon this website. I started reading the article of Sigrid’s passing. How refreshing to hear a daughter speak so highly of her mother. In these times of dysfunctional families, it makes my heart soar like a hawk to read Elke’s praise for someone dear to her…God Bless! Brad
Hello Elke,
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Your Mom sounds like she was truly amazing, I wish I would have met her. I have been a supporter of the BOP in the past as has my employer – Jeppesen. I had no idea the founder of this Foundation was your mom! I was so surprised when I saw your name, we went to LHS together and I remember your kind spirit back then. I read your writing above and it moved me to write something to you. Know that the world is still a beautiful place and that you can find peace in it always.
Peace and Blessings, Patrick
Elke,
I was just doing some research on The Birds of Prey Foundation and happened upon your story. I am sorry to hear of your loss. I can tell your mother was a special person. Thanks for sharing both your inspirational stories.
Elke,
I knew your mom for many years and volunteered for her when the mouse house was in the barn. My son’s eagle project was building kestral boxes for Sigrid. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and spirit were and are an inspiration for all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Liebe Elke,
ich möchte Dir, Deinen lieben Geschwistern und Euren Angehörigen mein tiefes Mitgefühl und Beileid zum Tod Eurer Mutter aussprechen.
Deine Grosseltern und meine Eltern waren befreundet und Sigrid wirde mir eine liebe Freundin zur Zeit, als sie noch in Lamprechtshausen gelebt hat und Du und Gernot zur Welt gekommen seid, und später trafen wir uns in Salzburg bis zu Eurer Emigration.
Ich habe Sigrid sehr sehr gerne gehabt. Sie ist / war ein Teil meiner Jugend, von dem auch ich nun Abschied nehmen muss.
Ich habe Kontakt zu Deiner Tante Inge. Ich werde Eure Mutter auf ihrem letzten Weg begleiten.
God bless you and your family
Love
Margarita Heinze (born Ulbrich)
Elke,
A precious daughter.
I read your tribute to your mother as I held my sleeping baby girl, hoping that I could leave but a fraction of the impressions of living on my dearest that your mother left with you. Your mother is such a special person, still, even in her absence, we still learn from her and carry on her compassion and loving ways.
You are lucky to have her, and all of her memories and her legacy. We all miss her so very much, but of course, never as much as you, her dear, precious daughter.
Thoughts and blessings of the universe to you,
Kyoko
Elke,
My husband and I were so very saddened to learn of the loss of your fine Mother. I will never forget the time on the northeastern Colorado plains when she allowed me the privilege of helping release a Ferruginous hawk. We were in a group of birders that met your mother on a dirt road where she had a number of hawks to be released. What a thrill to help and see them soar free again!
We have attended your wonderful open houses several times and look forward to doing so again.
May you find peace in knowing how special your Mother was and thankful for her dedication to teaching you and your family such caring. She is now flying free with all of her patients.
This is the first time I have visited this site and am very impressed but sorry I am so late in expressing our sympathy.
God bless you and your family as she was a blessing to us,
Elissa
I am so terribly saddened by this news. I was a volunteer for many years but moved away two years ago. I had no idea that Sigrid had left us. She was an amazing woman! She taught me so, so much about birds of prey and I had the most amazing experiences of my life there with her. I always called her the bird whisperer, she truley spoke to them and they spoke back. It was so amazing to see the way she communicated with the birds. They trusted her. I am so sorry to see her go. She was a wonderful woman sent by God. Her contribution to life is emense. I will miss her all of my life.
Dear Elke,
You do not know me but I am a wildlife rehabilitator in Woodland Park, Colorado since about 1994. I have sent many a bird your mother’s way knowing they would be in the best hands possible. I called her about a American Kestral that had lost all the toes on one foot about two weeks before your mom died. I had thought to put the bird into a educational program but I hear Sigrid’s voice telling me “I would like to see what it would do with a mouse”
and I knew that was a rhetorical question. I hope to release the Kestral this weekend and I know it will fly free and as close to heaven, where your mom with all her birds, as we on earth can get. We will all miss her.
Sincerely
Terri Collins
Elke,
Your mother was a true gift to this world…your moving, beautiful tribute will always sing in my heart, like the songs of the birds your mama so loved…and she was compassionate with broken humans, too, and when our paths crossed over a decade & 1/2 ago, she helped me to regroup at a trying time, and focus better on where my help is needed, which led to a instant love for all she was, is and always will be to my heart, the world, and all the little birds she so loved. I am a BETTER person for the lessons I learned from your Mom, Elke, and I thank the time I was blessed to know her, to help her, and to love her…..and I am so sorry for the loss of your precious,beautiful Mother….Bless you and your family always, Elke
Love Lulu
Elke,
I have been away for a while and just found out about your mother’s passing. Your beautiful tribute moved me to tears, I am so sorry for your loss. I first met Sigrid through Anna Gold, another amazing bird rescuer. I found a young Sawwhet owl on my sidewalk one morning, it was obviously blind, but it’s head followed me as I returned inside to get a carrier to put him in. Anna helped me get the owl to Sigrid. When I called a couple of days later to see how my owl was doing, Sigrid said he hadn’t made it. I was distressed and in tears, then Sigrid invited me to my first Birds of Prey open house, to see all of the owls and other magnificent birds that did make it. I was hooked, I used to bring bread and veggies to her, for the mice. What a wonderful experience it was to know her. Sigrid will be in my heart always.
I’m sorry to just hear of Sigrid’s leaving us…I’m a veterinary technician who one night received an owl who had flown into a windshield and went down on the pavement, brought in by a non-English speaking family. I did manage to get a vicinity where it happened, never knowing how important that would be to Sigrid. We stabilized the bird the best we knew how at the E.R. where I was working and the doctor had me call BoP and Sigrid answered the phone…at 10 o’clock at NIGHT! She said to come right over. So I drove from Wheat Ridge and delivered this owl, who she examined right in front of me, explaining the blood on the beak was from a rabbit the owl had been eating. There was a head injury, tho’, and she said she would see if she could nurse him through this. I left him in her capable hands. Not 6 weeks later, I received a phone call from Sigrid, asking if I would like to accompany her to release this owl where the family had said they’d picked it up. OF COURSE! We met at the intersection and lo’ and behold! there was a wonderful park right there. It was just about dusk, Sigrid carried out the travel kennel, opened the door, and Owl stuck his head out and took wing across the water right to the large trees on the other side. It still brings tears to my eyes.
A wonderful wonderful woman.