We received word of the passing of Robert Friedli of Boise who was a well known fishing and fly tying instructor while a professor at Boise State University.

In the late 1990s Dr. Friedli presented a program to a joint meeting of Boise Valley Fly FIshermen and Trout Unlimited on strategies for winter fishing the Boise River and it was the biggest meetings in the history of the clubs with more than 140 people in attendance.

Above there is a photo of the meeting showing the crowd.  Dr. Friedli was also a skilled artist and his illustrations of trout were used in some books as the photo above shows.

His obituary follows -

Robert LeRoy Friedli, 70, of Boise passed away Friday, July 30, 2010 at his home. He was born April 26, 1940 in Logan, Utah to Joseph Moroni and Laila Christoffersen Friedli.

Bob graduated from Logan High School in 1958 and attended Utah State University receiving his Bachelor of Science in Education in 1962 and completed his Masters of Education in 1967. Bob earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Utah in 1970. Bob married Dorothy Carol Garfield of Tremonton, Utah on June 14, 1962 in the LDS temple in Logan, Utah.

As a lifetime educator, Bob began his career in the Weber School District, where he taught sixth grade for two years, and was also the Assistant Director of team teaching. Bob went on to become an Associate Professor for the University of Nevada at Reno for two years before joining the faculty at Boise State University.

During his tenure at Boise State in the College of Education, he taught science, math, technology classes, and mentored student teachers. He also taught fly casting, stream strategies, and fly tying classes for the Department of Kinesiology. Bob was a professor at BSU for twenty nine years and was honored with Emeritus standing upon his retirement in 2001.

His special talents and hobbies included gardening, fly fishing, hunting, drawing and painting. He especially loved to draw and paint landscapes, fish and other wild life. Bob has had several articles and art work published in various outdoor publications and is displayed in several galleries and museums.

He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Joseph Moroni and Laila Christoffersen Friedli; older brother Joseph Richard Friedli; Father-in-law Milton Day Garfield; as well as brothers-in-law Dennis Day and Douglas Garfield. He is survived by his wife Carol, of Boise, Idaho; their children Suzanne and her husband Randall Steiner, Meridian, Idaho; Robert Brett Friedli and his wife Deidre, Rebecca and her husband Stephen Green; and Christina and her husband Darrick Whitworth all of Nampa, Idaho; and his ten grandchildren. Bob’s greatest joy was found in spending time with his wife, family, and playing with the grandchildren. He will be missed greatly by those who knew and loved him, but he will always have a special place in our hearts and will never be forgotten.