Ann Elder  -  A Joyful Life Well Lived :

Ann Schaffer (Elder) was born to Rebecca and Jimmy Schaffer in Feagaville, Maryland On April 7, 1958.  She was taken from this life suddenly on March 31, 2009, as a result of complications from emergency surgery.

Ann earned a B.A. in geology from the University of Vermont, and a M.S. in Geology/Paleontology at Utah State University.

Ann began her career with the National Park Service in 1984 at Fossil Butte National Monument as a Park Technician. She then moved to Dinosaur National Monument, and served as a Geology Technician, Paleontologist, and Museum Curator.

Ann worked in the field and lab for sixteen years as a paleontologist, and made countless contributions to the field through excavations, publications, and presentations at interagency and professional society meetings. Among her many contributions, Ann and a coworker were credited with the discovery and excavation of a new species of meat-eating dinosaur. Her work as the first full-performance Museum Curator at the park helped ensure the future safe-keeping and protection of the park's vast collection. As Curator, Ann set up guidelines and planning documents to guarantee that the collection would be managed appropriately in the future, conducted a 100% inventory of

the collection, helped catalog nearly one million cultural and natural

history items, and facilitated a web based exhibit of the park's fossils.

In July 2008, Ann was selected as Chief of Resource Management for Colorado National Monument and began her position in September. At the Monument Ann singlehandedly began to make a huge positive difference for the division and the park from day one. She spearheaded various types of inspections needed to proceed with deferred maintenance rehabilitation projects for the park's historic visitor center. She began Section 106 consultations with Colorado SHPO on several key projects involving other historic structures. She enhanced the protocols for the park's museum collection and archives and updated all associated databases. She networked with adjacent parks to achieve archeological surveys to enable project work to move forward. She collaborated with WACC and other parks on paleo projects and records management. She initiated a library management system upgrade with the use of two long standing volunteers she had recruited. She served as co-lead for the park's safety program. She worked with Colorado's Division of Wildlife and helped manage a dart, trapping and collaring operation for the park's Desert Bighorn Sheep.

Ann's expertise was called upon by other park units and government agencies throughout her career. She conducted museum program assessments, and paleontology surveys at several parks throughout the region including Curecanti NRA, Grand Teton NP, and Fossil Butte NM. Ann also aided the FBI in the seizure of a T. Rex from a commercial collector, helped ensure its safe preservation and provided support during the resulting court trial.

The National Park Service honored Ann on several occasions for her outstanding service.  She was given an award in 1993 for her work as the Co-Chair for the 3rd Conference on Fossil Resources in the NPS.  In 2005, her success at obtaining project funds in support of museum archives cataloging, coordinating GPRA, and using volunteer help was credited at Dinosaur National Monument.  Ann was also a recipient of the Intermountain Region Appleman-Judd Award for Cultural Resource Protection in 2004. This prestigious award is given each year to a handful of NPS employees for their valuable work in Cultural Resource Management.

For all of us who knew Ann or worked with her - she was a gift. Her ever present smile and winning personality was what first caught your attention. Her intelligence and calm methodical ways were impressive. The sparkle in her eyes reflected her intrinsic joy and love of life and love of her husband of 20 years, Tom Elder.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Tom Elder, of Vernal, Utah; her mother Becky Schaffer; her sister Sue, her brother Gary, and numerous nephews and nieces.

She leaves behind her Aussie Shepherd, Cedar and English Cocker Spaniel, Stikine who were also very much a part of her life.