Cris Emrich

Cris Emrich

It’s the second death this week of a person whose life was a gift to the White Rock Lake area neighborhood.

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Following news of George Boyd’s death last week, we learned that longtime Dallas Arboretum employee and active member of Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church died April 22 after living 16 years with breast cancer.

When I interviewed her for a 2010 story about David Gary, who turned his life around by volunteering, she preached the value of donating time and helping others after retirement. Emrich explained that Gary’s case — he worked for her giving Arboretum garden tours — was evidence that volunteerism enriches lives, and maybe even saves and extends them.

“So many people have worked hard all their lives, they retire, they go home, they sit down, and they die,” Emrich says. Volunteering, giving, doing and finding a passion can keep you alive, she said. 

Despite her illness, Cris reportedly remained a productive member of both the arboretum and the church.

Emrich’s husband, Roger Emrich, is a well-known sportscaster.

The Morning News obituary gives a bit longer history of Emrich’s life.