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Edgar Fetzer Obituary

Edgar Vaughn Fetzer, "Vaughn," 57, of Durango, Colorado died Saturday, September 18th, 2021 while climbing in the mountains of Colorado. An experienced mountaineer, Vaughn was on a solo trip in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range when he fell during his descent from Blanca Peak. Vaughn's childhood home was Summerville, South Carolina. He attended college in Upstate New York and furthered his education in Alaska and Montana. He was a longtime resident of Fairbanks, Alaska and lived and taught in Napaskiak, Alaska. In 2015 he moved to Durango, Colorado where he resided since. Vaughn chose to work in service to others, first as a teacher and later as a nurse. Both of these professions gave him freedom to pursue adventure, which he did at every opportunity. His playground was vast, including the mountains of Alaska, the Wind River Range in Wyoming, the Desert Southwest, South America, Mount Everest, and many special places in between. He will be deeply missed and leaves a substantial void for those fortunate to have had him in their lives. There were many sides to Vaughn. Whether engaging in introspective conversation about personal growth, sharing a joke, or chasing outdoor experiences, he gave each of us a friendship that felt singular. While in Napaskiak, Vaughn adopted his beloved dog, Gaylu. She was an especially important presence in his life, sharing many adventures, including numerous visits to the Wind River Range. Vaughn was preceded in death by his parents, Lulu and William Fetzer. He is survived by his sister, Estelle Ruddy, of North Charleston, South Carolina and her two children, as well as a great many friends. A 'Gathering in Love for Vaughn Fetzer' will be held at the Durango Dharma Center both in-person and online on Sunday, October 10th from approximately 5-6 pm MT (3-4 pm AKST). In-person attendance is limited. To attend in person, please register at: https://www.durangodharmacenter.org/events/#!event/register/2021/10/10/in-persononline-gathering-in-love-for-vaughn-fetzer. To attend online, go to: https://www.durangodharmacenter.org/events/#!event/2021/10/10/in-person-onlinegathering-in-love-for-vaughn-fetzer. A Memorial Kudoboard was started to remember Vaughn. Please feel welcome to contribute remembrances and messages there. https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/gmFC2mwi A celebration of life may be planned in Fairbanks at a later date. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in a Fairbanks gathering to celebrate Vaughn's life. Special thanks go out to all of the members of the search and rescue teams who took part in the effort to find Vaughn. In lieu of flowers, please give to your favorite charity or support the Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue team, http://www.avsar.us/.

Published by The Durango Herald on Oct. 6, 2021.
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Memories and Condolences
for Edgar Fetzer

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5 Entries

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Ruby Cubano

Other

October 8, 2021

As a Buddhist student you embodied the six positive qualities; compassion, joyful service to others, generosity, loving patience, ethical living, and wisdom! May your Bardo journey lead you to enlightenment. Om mani padme hung.

Ani Chodron

Other

October 8, 2021

Mr. Fetzer was a wonderful teacher at Badger Road elementary. He was such a nice person! He will be missed. I am sorry for your loss.

Sherry Smith

School

October 7, 2021

Vaughn was my friend, we met at Wofford College in SC in 1982 when he was rooming with Darrell Kimbrell and pledging KA. We dated girls together, worked out, partied hard and just hung out. He lived with me in Russ Hannon's apartment the summer of 1985 and we had a great time all summer. I drank a beer for you today - and I'll miss you greatly.

David Elmore

Friend

October 7, 2021

Vaughn worked at our family business in Denali years ago. He was a wonderful person to work and socialize with. I´m saddened to learn of his passing. Sending condolences and support to his family and friends across the globe. Happy climbing all the way up there Vaughn.

Amy Reisland-Speer

October 6, 2021

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Memorial Events
for Edgar Fetzer

Oct

10

Memorial Gathering

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Durango Dharma Center

CO

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