Judy Rosen, an interpretive ranger and exhibit designer at Fort Union National Monument, passed away on October 13th after a prolonged and courageous struggle with cancer.

Judy was extremely proud of her career-long contributions to the National Park Service. She began as a coop student at Colorado State University, working for Denver Service Center as a natural resource specialist.  Her first permanent NPS job was as an interpretive ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park in 1985. There, Judy grew into a fine interpreter, and, more importantly, an NPS family member. She embraced the mission, and added her nuanced application to everything she did.

Judy excelled at her jobs including assignments in Australia for the national parks, several Alaska parks, and Canyon de Chelly NM, Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, Navajo NM, Montezuma Castle NM, El Morro and El Malpais NMs, Fort Union NM, and Sand Creek Massacre NHS. She also worked in the planning office in Intermountain Regional Office and had an assignment at the Burunge Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania, Africa. Judy also worked for the U.S. Forest Service at the Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Colorado.

Her work was as varied as the locations, ranging from providing public programs, to creating park-wide interpretive plans, managing a volunteer program, compiling compliance documents, conducting American Indian consultation, facilitating stakeholder meetings, and countless tasks in between. Throughout her many projects and at numerous locations, Judy possesed  the ability to clearly connect with her co-workers, audiences and her constituents and to convey the importance of the task at hand.

Her career took Judy to treasured places, and she turned each of her assignments into extraordinary experiences and products. Her immense skills and her legendary personality will be sorely missed.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents Claire Bloom and Jack Rosen, and her sisters Jaime, Amy, and Lisa, and is survived by her sons Bridger and Hayden and brothers Howe and Rick.

During an interview with Juley Harvey of the Trail Gazette in March 2011, Judy made this observation: “I have loved ones on both sides. I’m good either way with what happens. Either way, I’ll be cared for.”

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 21st, at the Hyde Chapel at YMCA of the Rockies, 2515 Tunnel Road, Estes Park, CO, 80511.

Condolences may be sent to Bridger and Hayden Baird, 3333 Little Valley Road, Estes Park, CO, 80517. Donations in Judy’s name may be sent to The Rocky Mountain Nature Association (RMNA.org), or the World Wildlife Fund (WorldWildlife.org).

Contact Information
Name: Lisa Hanson, Linda Lutz-Ryan,
Phone Number: 303-969-2918
Email: lisa_hanson@nps.gov