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Ranger who died on duty
was ‘always cheerful’
WAILUKU » The park ranger who was killed by a falling boulder at Haleakala National Park on Tuesday was identified as Suzanne Roberts, 36, of Colorado.
Roberts, 36, was hit by a 3-foot-wide boulder as she was trying to clear a rockslide on a narrow road at Kalepa Point in the Kaapahu section of the park in east Maui, chief ranger Mark Tanaka-Sanders said yesterday. She died at the scene.
Roberts, who was single, was born and raised in Wheaton, Ill., and spent most of her adult life in Winter Park, Colo.
She worked for almost 10 years as a ranger at the Rocky Mountain National Park near Winter Park and started working at Haleakala National Park in April.
"She was always cheerful, always going around and asking what she could do to help," Tanaka-Sanders said.
He said she was living in Kula, at least a three-hour drive to her work at Kipahulu, and had been looking for a home in Hana.
Roberts had been on duty and driving in the Kipahulu direction on Hana Road from Kaupo when she stopped to remove rocks on the narrow road, Tanaka-Sanders said.
"She was being a good Samaritan by clearing the road just like rangers do every day," Tanaka-Sanders said.
Maui Police Lt. Jon Morioka said emergency crews were called at 9:55 a.m., but medical teams were not able to revive her. She was pronounced dead at Hana Medical Center.
Police have classified the incident as an accident.
Tanaka-Sanders said park officials are waiting for her parents to arrive before any plans are made for a memorial services. He said there will be a service at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Besides her parents, Roberts is survived by a brother and sister.
www.nps.gov/hale/
