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November 30, 1922 - May 3, 2009
Chapel of the Snows
Stratton Mountain, Vermont
Reception Following at Stratton
Details: Kimet Hand, (802) 362-4451
Cell Phone: (802) 384-4971
kimet@sover.net
Please send your recollections, stories or photos about Emo to:
Memories of Emo
c/o Stratton Resort
Stratton Mountain, VT 05155 or
email to mfoster@intrawest.com
Stratton Mountain’s beloved Ski School Director Emo Henrich passed away on May 3 in Igls, Austria. Services were held in Austria on May 8 and a memorial service at Stratton Mountain is planned for early 09-10 ski season, in recognition of the lasting impact Emo made on the life of Stratton Mountain.
Emo was born in Innsbruck, Austria on November 30, 1922, and was proud of the Austrian heritage he shared with thousands over his 26 years as director of the Stratton Ski School and the Stratton Mountain Boys.
He earned a degree in electrical engineering, but found an office too confining, as Stratton Founder and lifelong friend Frank Snyder had once explained. A ski racer in his youth, Emo camed to the United States in 1957 to coach racing at Sugar Bowl in California. He came to Vermont in 1961 as Stratton’s founding ski school director, and creator of the first bona fide ski school for children with the Big Cub program.
A legend in the ski world, Emo mentored hundreds of instructors over his 40 years of teaching. Emo and his staff of Austrian and American instructors taught thousands of eager skiers by day. And as a musician, Emo sang, played guitar, accordion and many folk instruments, and was renowned for his yodeling and schuhplatner, the traditional shoe slapping dance of the Tyrol. Emo and the Stratton Mountain Boys (and girls) entertained après ski and for the popular Tyrolean Evenings. Emo, dressed in traditional lederhosen, introduced adults and children alike to Austrian songs, folklore and the always popular Chicken Dance!
A true renaissance man, Emo was well known not only for his skiing and his music, but also for his incredible artistic abilities. Emo loved to travel and he painted, wherever he was. His large body of work includes watercolor scenery from Stratton, Mexico, Chile, Corsica, where Emo and Ann had a home, Austria of course, and many sailing and ski scenes. During his lifetime and well into his retirement, Emo painted, exhibited and sold his artwork. He was famous at Stratton for his perfect Austrian calligraphy and beautifully designed signs and holiday cards.
He was a master woodworker, in addition to his many other artistic abilities. Emo was proud of his efforts in teaching woodworking to Jake Burton Carpenter , once a part-time dishwasher at Birkenhaus, in the woodshop behind Birkenhaus. Jake remained a lifelong friend of Emo’s, living in Emo & Ann’s home in Igls for several winters as he perfected his Burton Board.
Emo is honored annually by the Stratton Foundation and Stratton Mountain during the annual presentation of The Emo Henrich Award. This award, begun in 1989, is given to a Stratton Community member for overall excellence, exemplary community service and a lasting impact on Stratton Mountain. As the first recipient and honoree, Emo truly exemplified all of the above and he was thrilled to present the 1992 Emo Henrich Award to Annedore Henrich, in recognition for her Stratton contributions.
Emo, for all that you gave in your lifetime to so many, and for all your love, to you our friend, “thanks a million.”
