Robert "Rob" Perrin, (1961 - 2017) - ForeverMissed.com Online Memorials

More. Better. Trails.

55 years old
Born on October 4, 1961 in Portland, Oregon, United States
Passed away on May 13, 2017 in Seattle, Washington, United States

This memorial website was created in memory of our friend Rob Perrin, BLM's trails and travel management expert. We will remember him forever.

Tributes

Leave a tribute

May 14

7 years ago today, we lost a legend. Rob was my mentor, but more importantly my good friend. I miss him every day. He would be so happy to see the strides BLM is making to make more, better, trails! Ironically, I am at the Mountain West Trails Conference in Vernal, UT this week. There were supposed to be about 150 people here. In reality, there is more than 400! Rob is smiling down on us, I can feel him here with me.

May 22, 2023

I miss Rob every day. Seems like I am always wanting to pick up the phone to get advice from my mentor. I miss our conversations very much, and the wisdom he would provide me. He was such a special guy. The pain of losing him will never go away. Happy trails, Rob. We miss you so much.

May 13, 2023

Problems come and go which often delay goals, requiring wisdom and patience. I admired Robs ability to focus on what was important and had a great sense of when the timing was right to take action. I take strenght from that and think of you often, remembering that your greatest attribute was the way you made the time to take interest in the lives of others. Thank you Rob.

May 14, 2022

Wow, 5 years have gone by since losing Rob. So much as happened that I want to tell him about, both personally and professionally. He would be so proud of where we are as an agency, but in true fashion would ask, "what's next?" We will keep working on that now. Miss you, Brother.

May 14, 2022

Rob, still think of you often. You were so well liked in the office and a wonderful employee to work with.

May 13, 2022

As you see from where you are now, there are terrible events happening in the world now and so many people's lives have been sadly taken away. I wonder what you would say if you were here. I miss listening to your analysis based on factual information and your "humble" but "witty" opinions. I also miss you patiently explaining things to me when I don't understand well.

Rob, thank you so much for always watching over me. I have been doing alright, challenging myself with some new things; one of them is learning Spanish which you were interested in studying someday. I hope I will be able to teach you the language when I see you again up/out there. I miss you.

October 4, 2021

It is your BIG 60th birthday, today. I am celebrating this special day when you had been born into this world 60 years ago and given so much love and inspirations to so many people since.

Happy Birthday, Rob!

October 4, 2021

Happy Birthday,Brother Rob. I still miss you every day.

June 20, 2021

Today I came upon the introductory letter that Rob gave to our NPS Rivers & Trails team when he moved to Seattle to be closer to family. I wish I had taken more time to get to know Rob. Clearly he was a bright light among us, and I’d like to light this candle in his memory.

May 14, 2021

I miss your advice a lot, but I miss you as a friend much more. The program is going in a positive direction because of you. Miss you, bro. More. Better. Trails.

May 13, 2021

Here has come again the day of your departure to where you are now four years ago. I have been thinking of you everyday since then, you know. Especially today, I think of and miss you more, Rob.

May 13, 2021

Still have fond memories of you Rob. Wondering if the Hickison Trail in Nevada ever got finished. Sadly Chuck passed the day after Christmas in 2020 of cancer. You were such a fun and wonderful person to work with. Always considered you " Mr. Nice Guy" !

May 13, 2021

Miss you so much my friend!!!!! Think of you often and wish we could share stories. See your smile clear as day. Always,
Suzanne

October 5, 2020

Happy Birthday, Rob. I still miss you very much, my friend.

May 14, 2020

This day has come again. I sometimes wonder if I have been living my life for the last three years in the best way you wished for me. One thing I am sure of is that I want you to be proud of me.

I miss being taken for a hike by you, Rob. I miss seeing your enthusiastic reactions when you see mountains and trail maps wherever you go. Now, I go hiking less than before, but I always hike with you in my heart and mind when I do. I hope that the wishes and dreams which you had for the B.L.M. and the Forest Service are coming realized or going in the directions you would get excited about.

I miss you so much, Rob!

May 13, 2020

Rob will definitely be smiling down on us if we get the new Categorical Exclusion for trail construction and maintenance through the regulatory gauntlet-that will definitely lead to More, better trails!

May 13, 2020

Three years is hard to believe..... but the things I learned from Rob and the memories of working together are still very fresh in my mind. More. Better. Trails Rob!

May 13, 2020

Miss you buddy!

May 13, 2020

It is hard to believe it has been 3 years since Rob passed. In that time, I have come to realize just how much of an impact he had on me. I can honestly say that no other person in my 17-year professional career challenged and supported me more. More important than that, though, Rob was a true friend. We miss you, brother. Rest in peace.

December 30, 2019

We both worked with Rob while in Battle Mountain with the BLM. He was so dedicated to his job and had the most wonderful rapport with everyone. He loved being out in the field as much as possible and we used to tease him about having to miss the meetings. He would just smile and say "I know." Last corresponded with him when he was in DC and going through treatment. Our son in law was being treated for the same cancer and we compared treatment plans. Sorry to hear he passed. He will be missed.

October 5, 2019

Today (in U.S. time) is the 58th anniversary of your birth, Rob. It is still one of the most important days for me.... Happy Birthday, Rob!

Your brother and I had been working on a memorial monument for you, and it is finally done five days ago. I hope you will like it. We will keep on working on its surrounding area to make gardens, hoping everything will be completed by next summer (2020).

October 4, 2019

Sure miss you Rob. Makes me smile to see your smiling face in the picture on this page when I log in. The world is just not the same without you in it. I will never forget you and who you were.

May 13, 2019

Rob had a sneaky way of just doing things just to show it could be done. I have a pen he gave me from the Ritz Carlton. When he gave it to me he said " you can't assume something is not within reach because you wouldn't expect it to be. This is after he stayed there all week on government per diem while the rest of stayed at the Holiday Inn." I can picture Rob waving his hands all around trying to motivate me regardless of what demoralizing obstacle lay ahead of me, asking me "what's your next move?" "Get ready!". I miss you Rob.

May 13, 2019

I can't believe it has been 2 years since we lost Rob. I still think about him almost every day and do my best to always make him proud. He would be glad to know that the project he and I started together is still going strong and shows no signs of slowing down! It is amazing to think about how many lives Rob touched and how many important efforts he created for BLM trails nationwide. I miss him tremendously.

May 13, 2019

Year 2 after Robs passing, and our work continues-some setbacks trying to message to leadership that the program provides access, as well as transportation planning. But we did manage to create a role for a non motorized subject matter expert, funded partially out of headquarters, so Rob would be pleased.

October 4, 2018

Today is Rob's birthday. I still cannot believe he is gone. Earlier this year, I ran into a difficult challenge to keep a project that Rob and I created for BLM moving forward. Instead of throwing in the towel, which would have been easy to do, I really thought about Rob and how much this meant to him and users of public lands overall. That filled me with a renewed sense of purpose. The end result was positive and we were successful. I could literally feel Rob cheering at that moment. I still feel him with me every day. Happy Birthday brother.

October 4, 2018

Happy Birthday Rob! Almost every day at work, I still ask myself, what would Rob do? Rob loved stories and I find myself repeating those stories as he told them, giving him credit of course. I can see Rob kicked back in his chair with a smile while looking in your direction. It made you wonder what plan he was working out in his head and made you a little nervous as to how it would involve you. Robs vision for “making a better mouse trap” and making people happy is alive, and as long as I have a say, his vision and work will roll on.

October 4, 2018

The time has flown by here in DC since Rob left us. I didn't realize until a few months ago that I'm sitting in his old cubicle, when he was based here. That explained the clinometer and rolls of flagging tape in the cabinet next to me-not generally tools of the trade here inside the beltway. He managed to get out of the beltway once in awhile, and put them to use. We're working to try and keep his initiatives alive, and he comes up when we're trying to persuade someone to do something he supported. His work is more important than ever.

July 4, 2018

I worked for Rob at the Battle Mountain Office from 2003-2004 and can not express enough how amazing and impressionable he was and still is to me. Rob opened my eyes and mind to an incredible array of geography, geology, history, and recreation, enabling me to understand things I never knew existed. I kept in touch with Rob through 2009 or 2010. I still think of him often, and miss his sense of humor, patience, wisdom, and his way of teaching. The world was a better place with Rob in it.

May 13, 2018

Rob, I sometimes find myself talking or responding to news on TV as you did. I sometimes notice myself smiling with memories of what you said or did as a joke in the past. Those are some examples of the moment when I feel your existence in my heart. It is already one year today since you left, to believe it or not. I missed you every day and every second for the last one year, and I will be missing you more in the years to come.

May 13, 2018

I can't believe it has already been 1 year. Thinking of you Rob.

May 13, 2018

I can't believe it has been 1 year since we lost Rob. I miss him every day. I still find myself asking, "what would Rob do in this situation". He was the most positive person I have ever been around. I will never forget him.

May 13, 2018

FYI...
BLM is still working on naming a trail, or possibly a campground, after Rob. It is taking longer than expected, but it will happen, I assure you.

November 20, 2017

Well this is very tough news to hear. Rob was a tremendous friend and a kindred spirit when I was in grad school at Oregon State. He helped me imagine what an integrated, solid life would look like post-grad school (and post-wilderness ranger life). I can't say enough about how much I appreciated his dry sense of humor (I'm sure mine comes partly from him) and his insights from his cross-cultural life back then. Now when I look back I realize he was an important mentor/teacher during our College of Forestry years. And now I think of him every time I type "Utaghh" or when I drive through Battle Mountain - how he saw opportunities instead of barriers. Just an irreplaceable loss during such a tough time. What a lovely man.

David B. Rolloff, Ph.D.
Professor
Dept. of Recreation, Parks & Tourism Administration
California State University, Sacramento

November 19, 2017

I cherish fond memories of Rob, my amazing cousin. He seemed wiser than his years when growing up. He decided at a young age to live in Japan and learn Japanese. He had a broad knowledge of global affairs and wanted to travel the world. I remember when Rob, his mother, Sherrie, and I traveled across Java and Bali. The Perrin clan camped and hiked together in the Pacific Northwest. Creating trails for others to enjoy was his passion. I think how wonderful it would be to have a trail he designed be named after him. Even now I want to know his perspective on issues, enjoy his humor, hear him laugh and smile.

July 17, 2017

I met Rob working for BLM in DC. I spent hours in his cubicle working on strategies to improve BLM's recognition and management of trails. Rob leaves a lasting impact on BLM and the resources we both cherished. I'm literally shedding tears for the loss of a personal and professional mentor. There's a large hole in all of us that had the fortune to know Rob.

June 28, 2017

Rob and I met May 1996. We were both Wilderness Rangers on the Rogue River NF in S. OR. We hit it off right away as his wit and humor made him an awesome person to spend days tromping around in the wilderness with. He could out hike me any day! I recall whining like a kid as we hiked miles and miles just to see what was up ahead. That was also the summer I met quiet, sweet Koji who was visiting Rob. Rob and Koji became close friends sharing many visits and calls over the years. I am so glad Rob met my kids. He was so very smart and caring, one of the best friends I will ever have. I miss him greatly but am SO grateful for the time I got to know him.

June 13, 2017

Rob and I met in Nevada when he was a BLM Recreation Planner in Battle Mountain and I was a Recreation Planner in Ely. I was immediately drawn to Rob and his enthusiasm and love of public lands. Rob has acted as a mentor to me for over a decade and I relished every conversation I had with him. Rob had an amazing ability to look at a situation and immediately apply wisdom in finding a solution and a path forward. Rob never backed down from a challenge if it was the right thing to do. I remember Rob stated to me at one time that although he loved trails; one of the main reason he stayed in the field of travel and transportation management was because there was great potential to build a program that reflected the vision of the BLM's multiple use mission and promoted inclusion and enjoyment of our public lands by all who visit them. I agree entirely with Rob's vision and look forward to carrying on his legacy. I am a better person for knowing Rob and consider myself blessed to learn from one of the best public land stewards I have ever known.
I miss you Rob and may God bless you and your family.

June 12, 2017

Rob always took an interest in the details of field work. Ten years ago, I didn't know him well, but I learned he could connect the dots between policy and its effects on-the-ground like no one I had worked with. He seemed to like all recreation, which was a really refreshing. I always appreciated his centered and moderate approach. He said he liked living DC, but I could tell he would rather be on a trail somewhere. Happy trails, Rob.

June 9, 2017

Rob and I met in 2004 when he hired me to be a seasonal through a partnership agreement he maintained in Battle Mountain. We worked closely until he moved to Burns, OR. I knew nothing of the recreation- wilderness program and he was such a great teacher and willing to teach it. We called it Rob 101! He mentor me for years teaching me everything from travel management to wilderness management. His way of understanding the BLMs social dynamics where so very organic in nature. Our time in the field was such a value; I cannot imagine learning about recreation management from anyone else. There are so many great memories of Rob in the Nevada Desert… Bittersweet ….

June 9, 2017

Rob and I have been crossing paths since about 2003, when he was working in Battle Mountain. His infectious enthusiasm seemed to help him overcome even the toughest of obstacles, like being a BLM recreation planner in Battle Mountain! But he did a great job, as he has with everything he's been involved in. One time he came down from the Washington Office to help me with a trail project at the Meadowood Recreation Area in Northern Virginia. I was using a trail building machine to rough in trail for a large volunteer group to do finish work later in the day, and as soon as he arrived, a hydraulic hose broke on the machine. It was early on a Saturday morning, no repair shops I knew of were open, and I was in a panic right when Rob showed up. He took the broken hose and the keys to my truck, and calmly and confidently said he would be back in an hour with a new hose-I bet him $10 it wouldn't happen, but by just asking a bunch of gas station and construction workers in the area for help, he found a place and got it done, and saved the day for me.
His positive attitude was a huge benefit to all of us.

June 7, 2017

I worked closely with Rob for the past few years on national level trail projects for the BLM. We shared a common love of all things trails. I will always remember our conversations fondly. He was my mentor, my friend, and most of all, my hero. You will be missed, Rob. More, better, trails.

Leave a Tribute

Recent Tributes

May 14

May 22, 2023

May 13, 2023

View all 42 tributes

Gallery

In June 2018, several BLM employees visited the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, AZ to pay tribute to Rob. We spread some soil from a Nevada trail system he helped develop in honor of our hero.

View all 13 items

On your 57th Birthday

October 5, 2018

Some family members of yours (ours) got together here in Japan for celebrating the day of your birth 57 years ago. We all love you and miss you so much. Everyone made his/her wish for you. It has become such a wonderful and memorable birthday of yours. I hope you saw us and heard us our wishes for you.

Happy Birthday, Rob-Chan!

Happy Birthday, Rob!

October 4, 2017

Today is your 56th birthday! Happy Birthday!!

Thank you for having been born today 56 years ago!
Thank you for having met me!
Thank you for who you were!
Thank you for having shared your life with me!

I miss you so much on this very special and important day!

Remembering Rob on his monthly death anniversary

August 14, 2017

Three months have passed, and the feeling of loss gets stronger and stronger. Rob was such a gentleman who understood people's pains and welcomed everyone with his big heart. His witted jokes (and sometimes commical mimicing of Japanese people's behaviors) brought me and his Japanese friends lots of laugh and happiness.

Fighting with cancer for many years, he never forgot to have a very strong and postivie mind about his life until his very last day. He was most appreciative of the simple things such as being able to have another day. As his colleague said in the "tribute" section, Rob was a HERO to me, too. And he will continue to be my hero from now on.

Cookies are disabled :(

Tributes

Leave a Tribute

Invite others to Robert's website: