Rodney Jue -- Indian Rock Regular

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rodneysdaughter

Boulder climber
Santa Barbara
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 16, 2019 - 10:10pm PT
I’m writing with the sad news that my dad, Rodney Jue, passed away from colon cancer on Saturday March 2. He liked to keep his age secret and let all the “kids” at Indian Rock guess, but he was 65.

Climbing at Indian Rock was a huge part of his life. He began going to Indian Rock with his friend Fred Cook in the 1970’s, was away for a while, and started going again in 1995 when our family moved back to the bay area. He made his 40-minute pilgrimage to Indian Rock almost every weekend. Dad liked to joke that he was a below-average climber, but he knew every inch of Indian Rock (and a good chunk of Mortar Rock). He was known to be very generous with his time, helping other climbers figure out the trickier parts of different routes and traverses. A self-described “retro-grouch,” he finally began using a climbing pad around the time he started working on Nat’s Traverse. He got pretty close—completing it in two parts, with one rest—but the complete traverse eluded him when he started feeling sick in 2017.

If you knew him and would like to attend the celebration of life memorial on March 30th, you can ask me for the details at: melodious1@gmail.com. We'd also welcome stories and pictures.







Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Mar 16, 2019 - 11:39pm PT
Oh my goodness! I didn’t remember the name, but I recognized him immediately from the photos. RIP Rodney! I always enjoyed running into him, sometime after decade gaps. Condolences, Rodneysdaughter, you had a very special dad. I remember seeing him with you or your sister or both, too.

So sad. He made a lot of peope smile.
FredC

Gym climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Mar 17, 2019 - 09:06pm PT
Tribute to my oldest friend

Rodney and I met when I was 4 or 5 and were friends for just about 60 years.

I got to introduce him to climbing in the Meadows in 72 or so. I took some high school friends up the left or maybe right water crack on Lembert Dome. Of the whole group he got the climbing bug and never stopped.

Folks might remember him for his years in Southern California.

He and I and families and friends have been going to Yosemite since the 1970s pretty regularly. In the last 12 or so years we had settled on the Meadows in August for a week every year.


Everybody knows how magical that place is. We spent many summer weeks climbing, hanging out, and wandering around with good friends up there.
zBrown

Ice climber
Mar 17, 2019 - 10:13pm PT
What a nice thing to do for your dad.

My condolences to you.

JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Mar 18, 2019 - 03:47am PT
As an Indian Rock regular in the early 1970's, every loss hits home. Thank you for sharing, even if the news is sad. My condolences to you and your family.

John
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Mar 18, 2019 - 04:22am PT
My condolences, as well, Rodneysdaughter and Fred C. We only have one dad and they cannot be replaced. Good friends, there's no price.

I never met Rodney, but anyone that hangs out with Leo Burke is alright with me.
i-b-goB

Social climber
Nutty
Mar 18, 2019 - 07:20am PT
Thanks, you can tell he loved you and your sister and enjoyed life, climbing with friends and the outdoors! RIP Rodney!
NJ

Gym climber
OAKLAND !!
Mar 18, 2019 - 10:38pm PT
As a beginner at Indian Rock and then a beginner on Yosemite granite, Rodney always took time to watch, show me what I might try, what the rock meant, and always with encouragement.

I loved watching Rodney and friends look at the rock and discuss all options, then lace up and climb. It took a long time for me to understand why he had resoled the same pair of climbing shoes so many times.

I feel so lucky to have spent so much time with such an amazing man and his family. Every time I touch stone in Yosemite and look up into that night sky (that he could identify everything in!!!) I will think of him and smile.

amyjo

Trad climber
Mar 18, 2019 - 11:48pm PT
RODNEY JUE

A delightful combination of deeply down to earth and whimsey.
Great taste in music. Generous. Over the years I have been lucky
to also come to know his tough/gentle wife - like her orchids -
and his daughters, of whom he was so very proud. This all seemed to come out of nowhere
and happen so quickly. No more see you next year in Tuoluomne.
No good way to say goodbye.

Amy Jo
Nick Danger

Ice climber
Arvada, CO
Mar 19, 2019 - 06:16am PT
My condolences to family and friends for the loss of another wonderful person. Our climbing tribe was rich for him being a part of it and poorer for his passing.
Peace
Tom Patterson

Trad climber
Seattle
Mar 19, 2019 - 06:22am PT
I'm very sorry to hear of Rodney's passing. My sincere condolences to you and those who knew him.
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
Mar 19, 2019 - 08:37am PT
Sorry for your loss. TFPU
marty(r)

climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
Mar 20, 2019 - 06:28am PT
When I started auditing my Indian Rock Course, your dad was one of the kindest, least sardonic of the crowd. He of course new ever hold by name and wore his chalk bag on a sling, with style. But it was the energy and lore that he shared that made the biggest impression. He'll be missed.
rmuir

Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
Mar 20, 2019 - 10:02am PT
He began going to Indian Rock with his friend Fred Cook in the 1970s…

Fred Cook, or Bruce Cook?

Condolences to all who knew Rodney, and to the entire Indian Rock family…
G Murphy

Trad climber
Oakland CA
Mar 20, 2019 - 10:48am PT
So sorry to hear this. I always enjoyed running into Rodney at Indian Rock and chatting while working on Nat's Traverse. A real loss to the Indian Rock community.
My deepest sympathies,
Greg
FredC

Gym climber
Santa Cruz, CA
Mar 20, 2019 - 11:17am PT
Hi Rmuir, he means me Fred.
Hope you are doing well. It has been about 40 years since we bouldered together.

Fred
Zclipper69

Trad climber
mill valley
Mar 20, 2019 - 11:24am PT
My condolences to the family and friends of Rodney. Man, not too long ago I was watching him cruise his way through Nat's traverse at Mortar, looking strong and elegant.
His energy and passion for climbing made him seem invincible. At Indian he was always super kind and friendly, always happy to share his knowledge and help others.
Rodney will be truly missed.

RIP
telemon01

Trad climber
Montana
Mar 20, 2019 - 11:46am PT
Beautiful post and tribute- RIP Rodney
Ahnsight

climber
Mar 20, 2019 - 01:18pm PT
My deepest condolences. I’m fairly new to climbing but your father had a big impact on my growth and passion for bouldering. He taught us noobs the history and showed us endless problems and fun party tricks. Rodney opened up his mind & arms to any and all climbers who visited the Pit. He was there when I climbed my first V6 and that same day he had his highpoint on Nat’s Traverse. I’ll never forget how psyched he was. His commitment and willingness to help others inspired me to be the climber I am today. He climbed tricky/technical sequences with style and ease. I remember having a fun climbing session with him on watercourse. He showed me some eliminates and I really enjoyed his variation of Pipe Cleaner, “Pipe Dreamer”. He was too short to make the reach on Pipe Cleaner so he made a variation that still mimiced the same movements. Thanks for showing me the way, Rodney. Thanks for showing me 20 different problems on the Watercourse wall alone. I still use your beta for going low around the first corner of the Indian Rock Traverse. He will be missed. Thanks for posting
klk

Trad climber
cali
Mar 20, 2019 - 02:24pm PT
thanks for sharing, i hadn't heard through the grapevine.

awful news. i hadn't seen rodney since i moved back to SoCal.

many happy sessions bouldering with him at i rock and mortar and the meadows.

condolences to the family

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