Archives West Finding Aid

Richard Diedrick Meyer (1914-1996) was a friend and associate of Ome Daiber. He first met him in 1935 when Meyer was on his way to mountain climb in Alaska. Meyer grew up in Illinois and lived there much of his life before moving to Seattle, Washington in the 1980s. Meyer spent 33 years in the Boy Scouts of America, first as a Scout, eventually becoming a Scout Leader and Assistant Scoutmaster. Meyer served five years in the Illinois National Guard and attended Army Air Corps Training Center at the University of Miami. During WWII he worked as a Celestial Navigator and trained crews for overseas duty. After WWII, Meyer entered the Reserves, then returned to active duty as a Chaplain, USAF, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel after 32 years of service. Meyer was an active outdoorsman much of his life. In addition, he was a musician and Christian Scientist.

Ome Daiber was born George Craig Daiber on November 1, 1907 in Seattle, Washington to parents David G. Daiber and Suzanna Craig Daiber. He had his name legally changed to Ome Craig Daiber in 1936. Daiber’s life was devoted to the mountains. He began climbing at a young age, and climbed many peaks in the Pacific Northwest. He also became involved with many search and rescue organizations, where he earned much of his fame. He participated in National Geographic expeditions to the Yukon in 1935, and worked on Arctic survey expeditions. He also served in the Tenth Mountain Infantry Division during WWII. Daiber also was an inventor of mountaineering gear, from packs to crampons to sleeping bags to ziplock-like pouches. He was also a businessman, marketing many of these inventions through his business, Ome Daiber, Inc. Perhaps his best known product is SNO-SEAL, a weatherproofing sealant for boots, which is still in use today. Daiber died April 2, 1989.