Kenneth Reece, 77, was pulled from the Colorado River on Tuesday by members of his tour group. He had been swimming at Deer Creek Falls at the time of his death.

His sister Myra Penning, 78, said she understands he suffered a heart attack.

Ms Penning said Mr Reece was a vibrant and enthusiastic community member, who would do things like learn to play the violin at age 77. He was a frequent traveller, and was involved in the Lilydale Bowls Club, Bridport Sing Australia, and the Dorset Community Men's Shed.

"He was very outgoing," Ms Penning said. "He enjoyed the outdoors, enjoyed travelling, and just lived his life."

Mr Reece was a former Tasmania Police officer, working in both Launceston and Hobart between 1963 and 1968. He also worked as a security guard at Comalco - now Rio Tinto Aluminium - at Bell Bay.

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His adventurous, traveller spirit translated into his working life, with he and his wife managing caravan parks on the mainland. He also worked at Piermont Retreat at Swansea around the time it first opened about 30 years ago.

Mr Reece was involved in Bridport Sing Australia with Judith Robbers, who said she had spoken to him shortly before he embarked on his trip to the Grand Canyon.

"He said to me, 'I might as well do this, it's the last big adventure I'm likely to take so I might as well do that while I can'," she said.

"He was doing what he wanted to do, and that's the only thing that makes it feel like it's not a nasty dirty trick that's been pulled on us.

"We really miss him, and we'll miss him for a long time. He was really was very well respected as well as loved."

She said she had spoken to the Lilydale Bowls Club, who said he will be sorely missed.

"He was a man who, whatever he participated in, he never hesitated to do it properly," she said.

"He would even do the dishes after we had our afternoon tea. He was a gentleman's gentleman in my view, a very caring man."

Mr Reece and his sister Myra Penning were two of four close siblings, and Ms Penning said her phone had been "running hot" with well-wishers since news of his death started travelling.

But she said she is taking her brother's death as well as could be expected.

"As we get older we have to start accepting that we're going to lose people," she said.

"He had been in the police force and he had been a security officer, so I think he would have been safety conscious. I don't think he would have done anything stupid.

"But he would give anything a go - if other people were swimming, there's no way he wouldn't have gone swimming."

In a statement, the United States National Park Service said its rangers had responded to an emergency call for assistance on Tuesday, September 3, below Deer Creek Falls on the Colorado River.

"Responding rangers arrived at River Mile 136, and took over resuscitation efforts from on-scene personnel," a spokesperson said.

"Rescue personnel were unable to resuscitate Kenneth Reece of Tasmania, Australia.

"The rescue team recovered the body with the park's helicopter and transferred it to the Coconino County Medical Examiner."

"Park rangers and the Coconino County Medical Examiner Office are cooperating in an investigation of his death."

Federal Bass MHR Bridget Archer said she did not know him personally but was saddened by the news.

"It's terrible news, and I send my condolences to his family," she said.