Here's the obituary that was just posted by Film Nashville, where Bobbie worked:
FilmNashville and FilmNashville Foundation are very sad to convey that our dear friend and colleague, Bobbie Gallup, first president of FilmNashville Foundation, passed away this week.
Due to health issues, she left the Nashville area to move up to Michigan to be closer to friends and family over the last three years, in hopes of stabilizing and improving her health. She was surrounded by those closest to her at her passing.
Bobbie Gallup grew up in Michigan, gathering a BS in biology, art, and education from Western Michigan University, and an MS from Michigan State in environmental interpretation. Throughout her career, she studied how to connect with people of all ages in her positions as a park ranger, naturalist, zoo education coordinator, and statewide head of interpretive services for the state park system in Minnesota. She became a consultant in the area of interpretive planning, community development and tourism in the state of Colorado.
Bobbie's real life profession was in the field of what is known as interpretation -- the sort of interpretation that involved translating the voices of nature and the stories of history into interesting and provocative ways that enabled folks to enjoy and appreciate the world we share. Taking this same approach to bringing experiences alive through songs was simply another way of approaching "interpretation." As the Diamond Rio song says..."It's all interpretation."
Her creative bent surfaced early in life, although her first "failure" in the world of music was a memorable one. At age 8 Bobbie's piano teacher was upset that, after Bobbie seemed to master book after book of piano lessons, her teacher had been fooled into believing that Bobbie was sight reading, only to have her play a particularly difficult lesson...in the wrong key. So ended her dreams of becoming a piano virtuoso. But her love of music would lead to other great things. Bobbie began writing early... composing poetry from the time she was 15, and getting her first official publication at 17 for writing her high school class poem at Western High School, Parma, MI. She also excelled at painting, concentrating on wildlife subjects for many years.
Later, after moving to Colorado, she began recording scenes of the West, gathering numerous natural and cultural resource management publications and awards along the way. Bobbie was responsible for planning and coordinating The South Platte River Trail Scenic & Historic Byway, awarded Best New Interpretive Project in the nation in 1998, by the National Association for Interpretation. The project was also nominated for the John Sem Tourism Award in 1999.
As life presented her with its usual pattern of challenges, she found more to write about, eventually garnering more publications, magazine articles, awards and honors. Several of her poems may be read online on the International Library of Poetry website. Music remained a lifelong passion, and in 1998, her work was recognized when she was awarded First Place in a country music songwriting contest sponsored by Georgia Pacific Paper Company.
Her songwriting drew her to the Nashville area. She started an annual songwriting conference called Pineyfest.
Her enormous intelligence and governmental savvy brought her to a position with the City of Columbia, south of Nashville, where she wrote over $10 million in grants.
Her greater involvement in Nashville music eventually got her involved with and on the board of the Nashville Composers Association, founded by Rolin Mains and currently helmed by Geoff Koch.
It was while running a Nashville Composers Association booth at the Nashville Film Festival that she sat side-by-side with the table for FilmNashville. She soon joined the board, and then went on to become Founding President of FilmNashville Foundation 501(c)(3). She taught grant-writing workshops and consulted with numerous filmmakers, songwriters, composers and other non-profit organizations along the way.
Meanwhile, Bobbie had a growing portfolio of over 400 song lyrics, primarily in the country genre, but also a few gospel, pop and children's songs.
"Last Line Of Defense" and "I Can't Pretend" were engineered and produced at Brush Hill Studios, Nashville, by Arvel E. Bird, and plugged by CROJO Music. Bobbie's "My Heart Stops Here" has been published by Northern Comfort Music (Guelph, Ontario).
Bobbie Gallup was a very intelligent human, had a very big heart, and is a beautiful soul.
You can read some of her background here:
http://www.cowboypoetry.com/bg.htm&
http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php…
Here's one of her poems..
The Snow Seems Awful Early
The snow seems awful early
Or could it just be me
These old bones always complainin'
Can predict a storm by my knees
Mebbe it's them long years in the saddle
Or the hosses I tried to break
Or the ones who might near broke me
That's makin' this ol' cowboy ache
There's still a lotta satisfaction
Comes from tightenin' that wire
But it seems there's nothin' better
These days than sittin' by that fire
Me an' my old dog Toby
Prob'ly seen our better days
'Cause I kinda notice him lately
Likin' to sleep in the sun's rays
Gotta say the Lord's been good to me
Seen a lot of His handiwork out there
His painted sunrises and sunsets
And I breathed His mountain air
I've seen things in my lifetime
That I know most folks never will
And I can't complain 'bout nothin'
Though life's picked up speed goin' downhill
Now when it comes my time
To pass from this earthly race
I'll just shake His hand and thank Him
And ask if there's any cows to chase
© 2000 by Bobbie Gallup
If you would like to convey thoughts to her family & friends:
https://m.facebook.com/bobbie.gallup"
