▁was ▁built ▁to ▁house ▁an ▁extensive ▁collection ▁of ▁Native ▁American ▁artifact s ▁don ated ▁to ▁the ▁museum ▁by ▁Dor is ▁S way ze ▁B ounds . ▁ ▁By ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁museum ▁was ▁hosting ▁approximately ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁visitors ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁K err ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁for ▁the ▁Mid - O regon ▁Indian ▁Historical ▁Society ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Oregon ’ s ▁State ▁Park s ▁and ▁Rec re ation ▁Commission . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Oregon ▁State ▁University ▁hon ored ▁K err ▁with ▁the ▁university ’ s ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Award ▁for ▁his ▁vision ▁and ▁leadership ▁in ▁establish ing ▁the ▁High ▁Des ert ▁Museum . ▁ ▁Ill ness ▁and ▁death ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁K err ▁was ▁inf ected ▁with ▁a ▁vir al ▁form ▁of ▁en ce phal itis . ▁ ▁The ▁source ▁of ▁the ▁in fection ▁was ▁probably ▁a ▁small ▁cut ▁from ▁the ▁tal ons ▁of ▁a ▁great ▁horn ed ▁ow l ▁that ▁K err ▁had ▁been ▁working ▁with ▁near ▁the ▁museum . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁in fection , ▁K err ▁had ▁trouble ▁communic ating ▁and ▁then ▁began ▁losing ▁mus cular ▁coord ination . ▁ ▁He ▁never ▁recovered , ▁eventually ▁becoming ▁an ▁invalid . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁K err ▁step ▁down ▁from ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁president ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁ill ness . ▁ ▁While ▁he ▁was ▁unable