DONORS: The Rogers Family, the Montana Falconers Association, David

Eslicker, Larry and Cynthia Dickerson, Jim Frazier, Tom Coulson, Mike and

Karen Yates, Brian and Susan Millsap, Anonymous Admirer, Bob Collins,

Doug and Trish Pineo, Kent Carnie, Don and Joyce McInturff, Jim and Sheri

Robison, Jonathan Wilde, Blair and Anna Anderson, Alan and Venice Beske,

North American Falconers Association, Robert and Lisa Welle

D

uring a

haircut

for all. After a year,

we were married

and by then Missi

knew exactly what

she was in for. Our

life included night forays into barns for pigeons or raising

quail in the back bedrooms of old farmhouses, and casting,

handling, and nurturing a variety of falcons. For almost 50

years, we did it all together. In 1976 we hauled everything

we owned to Montana; we had no jobs, no place to live. The

From 1981 through 1999, summers were spent all over

Montana at hack sites. Starting in 1988, the peregrines we

released were bred in our back yard with Missi providing

early hatch care. As Jim Enderson wrote in his book about

the peregrine: “Ralph and Missi’s son, Scott, and daughter,

Andi, knew summertime meant a tent in the wilderness and

the wailing of young falcons learning to care for themselves.

Both children became biologists, she a specialist on releasing

California condors in Arizona, and he working to restore

endangered fish in the Grand Canyon.” Missi and I realized

facilities in Boise. Just like her relationship with falconry,

she wasn’t out actually driving the nails…her donation was

to make sure everyone else could.

Missi was a NAFA officer from 1997 through 2004. She

effectively co-chaired 6 NAFA meets, including three that

were international. In our recent times she was certainly

one of falconry’s greatest ambassadors attending numerous

IAF meetings and making lasting friendships all over the

world. She will be missed from Argentina to Russia.

In 50 years she had gutted thousands of quail, spent

when we took ourselves too seriously. Her partnership

with falconry was a huge part of who she was and she gave

massively to this art and the conservation of the resources

we use. Paraphrased from Jim Enderson’s book: “The

Rogers knew that the falcon had given them and their

children opportunities, a sense of purpose, and now feeling

of success in the out-of-doors they simply could not find

anywhere else.” I love you Missi.

Missi’s Falconry Story

A lifetime well lived with Birds and Family

Rogers family hacking Peregrines Red Rocks NWR, 1984

Melissa had a tremendous love for her family, teaching, and

lucky for us, falconry, and she easily combined these passions

into one magnificent life. Ralph brought Melissa into the

world of falconry, and she jumped in with both feet to make

her mark on the falconry community. It’s difficult to think of Ralph without immediately thinking of Melissa;

they were one of those lifelong, soulmate couples who were always there for each other, and Melissa did so

much to support Ralph, falconry, NAFA and the IAF. But she was, also, a very proud mother and gammi who

passionately shared stories of Scott and Andi over the years and who proudly

showed off pictures of her precious grandchildren.

Melissa took charge of family activities at many NAFA Meets, with great

years, one would find Melissa sitting in the lobby reading the latest trending

“young adult” book, not because it was on her top 10 list, but because she

wanted to understand her students just a little bit better by reading what they

were reading. Melissa was one of those teachers that you hold in your heart

forever. And thankfully for everyone in Melissa’s life, it is safe to say that she

viewed the world with the curiosity and enthusiasm of a young child - the

littlest things could get her so excited. During an IAF meeting in Holland,

Melissa tasted the rainbow sour candy strips that are popular with kids and

she became almost giddy because she had never had them before.

Melissa saw the world as a beautiful, fun and exciting place, and in her memory, hear

Melissa surely did!