Many hearts are aching today for on October 10, 2002, we lost a very dear friend, Emile Navarre.  Many thoughts and memories have past through my head during these past 24 hours.  Emile was one of those people that make a lasting impression on whomever he came in contact with.  There was this aura about him that you just don't find very often.  He was this fun lovin', spirited, always smiling guy that everyone loved being around.  He was the life of the party.  He loved the parties.  And he always participated no matter the costume.  (OK, so he would go out the day of the party and buy the costume!)  Emile was asked quite often to MC many banquets.  I don't know if how much he liked being in the spot light but he loved planning them.  He always knew he would have to outdo the previous one and somehow, someway, he always did.  But by far the best one ever was the "Secret Service Banquet" he did for Clay Allen of Oklahoma.  Looking back and knowing Emile the way I did, another thing that I knew was his love for the photography associations.  He was always deeply involved even as far back as when he first began in photography.

    It was 1976 when he started in his own photography business at the tender age of only 21.  He immediately became a member of Professional Photographers of Louisiana, Southwest Photographers Association, and the Professional Photographers of America.  he went on the Board of Directors of PPLA in 1980 and became Secretary in 1989.  he went through the offices and became President in 1991.  In 1986 he was elected to be their Executive Director and that was where he remained.  In 1993 he received the PPLA coveted National Award and in 2001 was the first recipient of the Louisiana Service Award that I know he cherished deeply.

    Emile went on the Board of Directors of the Southwest Photographers Association in 1985.  He was the Convention Chairman in 1992 and was elected as their Executive Director in 1993 and that was also where he remained.  He again received the most prestigious National Award in SWPA in 1998.  He was an integral part of SWPA.  He most usually was behind the scene running the conventions, making sure everything went off just like it should. 

    Emile was very active in Professional Photographers of America.  In 1989 he went on the Convention Committee.  He also was on the Wedding Group Executive Committee.  In 1990 and 1991 he was Chairman of the Nominating Committee.  In 1992 he was elected to the PPA Board of Directors.  In 1995 Emile was Co-Chairman of the ANNE Awards Task Force.  In 1998 Emile chose to resign from the PPA Board of Directors to undertake yet another big project.

    He became the Executive Director of the Professional Photographers of Mississippi/Alabama.  The association was in desperate need and Emile was there to accept the challenge.  Mississippi/Alabama is now in great shape and on financially sound grounds.

    Emile has been very near and dear to Oklahoma's association.  In 2000 he was honored with an Honorary Life Membership.  He fit into our family like he was one of us.  He was one of us.  As I'm writing this, I'm trying to think just how it will be without him.  I can't quite accept the fact yet because he played such a major roll in my life as well as in many others.  I look back at what all he gave to our associations and I only hope he got back what he gave.  Knowing Emile as well as I do, I am sure he did.  He would make sure he did.

    I am at a loss for words.  He was part of my family.  Emile had a way of being there for us not just professionally, but personally as well.  My heart aches but I know he doesn't hurt anymore.  I will always remember Emile e-mailing me or calling me and saying, "Do ya miss me yet?"  Yes Emile, I miss you like crazy and I'm just one of a million.

Celia Moore

Cleveland, Oklahoma