Narrative: by Shannon Iris, In honor of Dr. Roy P. Craig In the spring of 2003, one morning over coffee, shortly after Roy was diagnosed with cancer, he expressed concern over the fate of La Boca and concern over the fact, as he saw it, that no one took a real interest in La Boca. I told him that as far as I could tell he was mistaken... that Chester had La Boca etched into his heart and soul... Minutes after he left that morning, it occured to me that Chester and I had had a dream - of creating a place where people could reconnect with the natural world. It had been years (spanning the birth of our two children) since Chester and I had spoken of it. My wheels started to turn and I sought Roy out not 30 minutes after our initial conversation, I found him in front of the shop and recollected, to him, our dream. I could see how his situation and ours might merge into a beautiful opportunity. He liked the idea. He was excited by it. I wrote up a preliminary proposal, and for almost a year we tossed it around. Roy knew the value of an intact, working ranch and farm. He was also a trumpeter of private property rights, and I could see his struggle to reconcile those values.  In the end, Roy formed a trust. He put La Boca Ranch in there with all the provisions we would need (and then some) to make a real go at creating our mutual dream, with 15 years to do it. With days left, he finalized a conservation easement that protects this land in perpetuity from development. Roy taught us about community. When he was well, he never missed morning coffee at our house. He frequently brought goodies and big smiles, cooked and ate dinners with us. He showered us with generosity, opened his heart and gave us a place to call home. He is missed. Roy P. Craig, former owner & co-founder of La Boca Center for Sustainability.