John Streich: Farewell to a Friend

John Streich working at the 2008 auction.

John Streich was one of the first volunteers I met when I joined the Bicycle Alliance staff in 1994.  A friendly and personable guy, John liked to volunteer for things that allowed him to interact with others.  You may have met him staffing our booth at Bike Expo, greeting guests arriving at the auction, or stuffing envelopes at our month end work parties.

John was an adventurous man who led a colorful life.  A technical engineer, he called me one winter to tell me that he needed to back out of a volunteer commitment because he was on his way to Canada to help with avalanche control.  John loved the outdoors.  Besides bicycling, his pursuits included hiking, climbing and sailing.

One of my fondest memories of John was at a volunteer party several years ago.  He was explaining how he had worked aboard a cruise ship one season as a dance partner to single ladies, then demonstrated his dancing skills by dipping a surprised volunteer.

John Streich died last week after a brief bout with cancer.  He will be missed by his friends at the Bicycle Alliance.  Pedal in peace, my friend.