Christopher "Kip" Darling Koss passed away Nov. 3, 2013, leaving behind a legacy and passion for conservation. Koss was the grandson of Jay "Ding" Darling, advocate for modern-day conservation and artist of the first federal duck stamp.

Koss spent countless hours cataloging the more than 7,000 sketches done by his grandfather, compiling these into books, and remaining true to the cause. He was a proud supporter of Ducks Unlimited and donated several of his grandfather's original works.

"Kip was a close friend, and certainly a friend of conservation," DU CEO Dale Hall says. "He left behind a strong conservation legacy, one that we should all strive to emulate."

His efforts to continue his grandfather's conservation work will have a lasting influence on generations to come.