Robert Floyd Amon

Born in Brooklyn, New York and the son of the late Robert Amon and Anna (Sweitzer) Memoly, father, brother, uncle, friend, mentor, and forest activist Robert Floyd Amon (Ramon) of here-there-and-everywhere has died at age 86. He was a tireless champion for the forests, and we’ll miss his tanned, toothy smile and tall tales about the trees he helped save from the saw. This Equitable insurance execu-bozo turned enviro-bozo (his words), inspired many to heed the call to save the last of America’s ancient forests, and he not only talked the talk but walked the walk. After buying an old school bus with Billy Packer, a reformed commercial fisher, they formed the “Ancient Forest Bus Brigade” (AFBB) from a collection of castaways including Catfish, an ex-con, Cindy, a recovering heroin addict, Russell, the runaway, and Bones, an old hound dog. 

Together they traveled the West supporting forest activists in California, Oregon, and Idaho. Eyed with suspicion by the locals for his ability to speak and write about the true costs of the boom-and-bust cycles in communities whose economy depended on the mills, he was often threatened and vilified by them. In 1993, the Cove Mallard Coalition in Dixie, ID, which was camped on Ramon’s land, was trying to save the last largest roadless area in the Lower 48, when it was raided by federal marshals with automatic weapons! Fortunately, there was no violence that day. 

For more than a decade, Ramon and the AFBB roamed the West supporting actions against the extractive industries. Once, when the Havasupai nation’s water supply was threatened with a uranium mine proposal, Ramon took members of the tribe, some who had never ventured out of the Supi canyon, to Las Vegas for a Department of Energy hearing on the mine. As the tribal members gazed in amazement at the strange sites of “Glitter Gulch”, Ramon asked the last elder off the bus if they were missing anything. The tribal elder replied, “yes, missing Supi.” Now we’re all missing Ramon. 

After he retired, Ramon traveled the world as a low-bagger, spending winters in the warmth of places like Baja, Mexico where he lived in a “palapa” (thatched roof hut) by the sea, Guatemala, where he perched atop a volcano for a great vista, and even St. Pete Beach in Florida, because of the flowing palm trees and martinis and views. He often spent his summers aboard his bus “Old Smokey” in the Mad River Valley of Vermont where he donned some of his most Hemingwayesque stances at the typewriter (see image above). Ramon visited just about every state in the union and climbed every mountain he ever could. He never once met a stranger, not once. Everyone was a friend he just hadn’t introduced himself to yet and he was about to change that as soon as his martini (or lately vodka Campari) arrived. And if you were smart enough to sit and drink with him and listen to his stories, he’d ask for your name and address, and you’d be added to his birthday list. One of his most epic and unique accomplishments is that we all who were in his book received a birthday letter every year, no matter what. It was always typed, like on a Smith-Corona Sterling manual (because the sea does not have an outlet), and snail mailed from wherever he just happened to be at the time. These letters are full of sage advice and sarcastic wit. Put together, they’d probably be in the thousands and make up the story of his life. How cool is it that his “book,” like he will eventually be, is scattered all over the places he loved?

Ramon leaves behind a large family of curmudgeons who loved him in spite of himself. Randy, his eldest son, with wife Marlene, added Erin, Christopher, and Michael. Laurel, his only daughter, with husband Tracy Abell, added Julia, Kelsey, Brittany, Joshua, Lindsay, and Matthew. Rob, his second son and namesake, added Cassidy, Taylor, Tymber (Suzanne), and Isabel (Noelle). His brother Richard with wife Rosemary, Son Scott, Daughters Christine, and Blair adored him. He is also survived by 2 ex-wives, Karen and Wendy, and a burgeoning bunch of great grandkids: Hope, Layla, Madeline, Elinor, and any day now, Marshall.

Contributions in Ramon’s honor may be made to Friends of the Clearwater.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from noon til whenever at his son Rob’s home. A tree will be planted in his honor and his ashes will be scattered here-there-and-everywhere and the stories and wine will flow. Contact Rob via email at robamon@me.com if you would like to attend.