Papa Smurff dies at 82

The ‘Father of Tourism’ in Southeast Kentucky died just before 1 p.m. on Tuesday at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital in Somerset.

Rick ‘Papa Smurff’ Egedi was 82.

He started in the tourism business in 1978 at Rockcastle Adventures, in London, and eventually Renegade Rick’s Rockcastle River Runners.

Egedi started Sheltowee Trace Outfitters in 1983, which ran on the Cumberland River with canoes and kayaks. It also ran on the Big South Fork at the time.

He eventually took over the rafting contract at Cumberland Falls State Park.

“He was very involved in tourism and bringing people into the area, said Dania Egedi, Papa Smurff’s daughter.

“He had a very gruff exterior,” said Dania Egedi. “When you first met him, he could be very, very charming, but he didn’t really tolerate any nonsense. He had underneath that just a heart of gold.”

“If you needed something, that is when he would come through,” she said.

“He has been in business for 38 years now, and he had a lot of employees and customers that have come through during that time,” said Dania Egedi. “I think especially from the employees’ point of view he was very, very much like a second dad to a tremendous number of people.”

“He had high expectations for people and he wanted to see them succeed,” she explained.

Papa Smurff, spelled with two f’s to avoid any copyright infringement, gained his nickname early on when the business was more seasonal, his daughter said. In the offseason, he would gather up a bunch of the guys who would go out to far eastern Kentucky and lay cable in people’s houses.

Papa Smurff had a blue jumpsuit and a white beard, which earned him his nickname.

Dania Egedi posted on her personal Facebook page that he was active until the end. He piloted the Cumberland Star riverboat on Sunday. She said being captain of the riverboat was his pride and joy as well as being the thing he most identified as

In her post on Tuesday, she said, “The Cumberland Star broke free of her moorings this afternoon on a clear windless afternoon. I feel that it was probably Smurff going for one last ride.”

Corbin Tourism Director Maggy Monhollen said she knew of Papa Smurff a lot longer than she had been working in Corbin. She recalled that she met him at a travel show.

“He was the face and name of tourism before any tourism office got started or any tourism director was hired,” said Monhollen.

“He was out there promoting the region and making sure people knew about us by going to travel shows, creating activity maps and spreading the word,” said Monhollen. “He was really the one that got tourism started.”

Even after tourism offices were started, Monhollen said that Papa Smurff was still heavily involved.

“I loved Papa. Papa was a super hard worker no matter what it was he was doing,” said Monhollen. “He had great ideas. He loved the river. He loved being on the water, and was just someone I really enjoyed being around.”

Monhollen said Papa Smurff was a jack of all trades with all kinds of experiences. He was someone you could really learn from.

Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus said, “Many years ago, Smurff recognized the untapped potential for the development of a tourism related business.”

Razmus said he chose to settle here and commit his life to showing the world the natural beauty of our home here in Southern Kentucky.

“He was such a character and will be sorely missed,” said Razmus. “God bless his family and friends.”

Dania Egedi’s Facebook post indicates a memorial service will be announced at a later date.