On Oct. 17, Halie Ann Rex passed away at age 26 in a motor vehicle accident. Rex was riding her bicycle when she was hit by a car on Oct. 12 in Johnson City. As an organ donor, she saved five lives among her other legacies in the Appalachian region.
Once part of ETSU Campus Recreation as an assistant in Outdoor Adventure, Rex oversaw the trip planning for the program, one of her main focuses being trail working. She will be remembered for her love, passion and leadership in the outdoors with her many skill sets such as fly fishing, outdoor rock climbing, trail running and cycling.
With a background in natural environment preservation, Rex led as a fire mitigation crew leader in Salida, Colorado, as part of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) in 2022. Afterward, she became certified as a second language instructor and taught English to all ages in Villafranca Tirrena, Sicily, where she explored the Sicilian Mountainsides. Thriving in exploration, she also visited Ireland where she spent Christmas with close friends.
Campus Recreation Director Kari Albarado and Assistant Director of Outdoor Adventure Eric Payne worked closely with Rex throughout her career as not only coworkers but peers. As her supervisor, Payne hired and trained Rex in Campus Recreation as part of a national search for general assistants.
“She believed strongly in people and that they could be better,” Payne said. “She had a big focus and belief that we are all capable of a lot more.”
Rex became a figure of responsibility and devotion, her fervor for nature and the environment was and remains contagious. Among her many achievements, Rex climbed 13 mountains over 14,000 feet in Colorado, including the highest peak in the Rockies, Mt. Elbert. Heavily involved as a friend in her groups and profession, Rex was excited to begin working on outdoor trail leading, the trails of the region having become her big project while at ETSU, Payne shared.
Giving back to her community, Rex led the week-long trip for the Roan Scholars Leadership Program before the start of the semester which marked the end of their high school experience. She led the group through their transition into college, forever making an impact as a kind and passionate guide of the outdoors and community. Rex’s last summer was spent in western Massachusetts where she worked as a trail crew leader, developing trails and clearing out paths for others as part of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Rex believed in the good of people and appreciated the world around her for what it had to offer, whether it be trails, trees, leaves, mountains or people. Her memory will continue to live on as Campus Recreation moves forward with its trail work in dedication to Rex.
To read Halie Ann Rex’s Obituary from Westside Chapel Funeral Home, visit https://www.westsidechapelfuneralhome.com/obituary/Halie-Rex.
