Jonathan Schuetz Obituary

(AKA: "Jonathan The Bear Man" and "Uncle Jon")

August 21, 1945 - October 8, 2025

Jon was a decorated Army combat veteran in the Vietnam War. He was there for the Tet Offensive. When he came home to Pasadena, California, he went into banking and had an impressive career there until retiring in 1990 and moving to Durango. Knowing how hard it was to come home from war, he counseled many returning vets.

He married Marsha Wells in 1996. She loved to garden, and he loved to build and landscape. They had a wonderful time on their 5-acre place in the East Animas for 30 years doing just that.

Jon is survived by his wife Marsha, his daughter Kim Kvozda, and granddaughter Siena.

Jon had a gift for bringing people together. To replace the Blue Star Memorial at the Santa Rita Rose Garden, he was given permission to come up to the Glacier Club and pick out gneiss boulders that Stan Neil transported and placed. When the Garden Club of Durango lost their wooden pergola, he enlisted Scott McClain and crew from the City, Mark Bauer to do the welding, and from Recla Metals, Mike Bacus to supply the steel needed. A huge cost that could never have been paid by the City or the Garden Club.

He made lots of friends at the Recreation Center bicycling every weekday giving advice to any and all willing to listen.

Please come to the Graveside Military Honors and Services that will be held on November 1, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Greenmount Cemetery, and share your personal stories about this larger-than-life man.