Caitlin Kemler Obituary

Longtime Durango resident Caitlin Kemler died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at Presbyterian/St. Luke's hospital in Denver. She had fought a lengthy battle with graft-versus-host disease after a bone marrow transplant for a rare blood disease, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, in 2009. She was 25.

Known as "Cait," she was born to Barry and Lindsay Kemler on Aug. 13, 1986, in Durango. She grew up here and attended Riverview Elementary, Miller Middle and Durango High schools, graduating in 2004.

She went on to earn an Automotive Repair Certification from Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix.

For three years, Ms. Kemler had been a Big Sister through Big Brothers/Big Sisters of La Plata County and was named Big Sister of the Year in 2009.

"She was the poster child for commitment and giving," BBBS business manager Jen Brown said. "Even during her treatment, she and her Little were sending journals and photos back and forth, and she always took the opportunity to publicize her mentorship to promote the program."

Her family said Ms. Kemler managed to cram a lot of life into her 25 years.

"Caitlin was best known for her zest for life and did everything from camping and fishing to writing a book and skydiving," her family said. "Caitlin was also a mischievous spirit and was known to pull a prank or two. She was employed at Mercury Payment Systems, where she endeared herself to many of her co-workers."

Ms. Kemler had worked at Mercury for three years, most recently as sales implementation manager.

"One of Caitlin's favorite quotes was John Wayne's, 'Courage is being scared to death … and saddling up anyway,'" her family said. "May we all be inspired by her extraordinary courage."

Ms. Kemler is survived by her father, Barry Kemler, of Durango; mother and stepfather, Lindsay and Brian Noisom, of Hesperus; sister, Trista Klemm, of Forest Lakes; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family members.

A celebration of life will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 4, 2012, at Dalton Ranch Golf Club, 589 County Road 252.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado, Attn.: Megan Maurillo, P.O. Box 2154, Durango, CO 81302.