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Stephen Gladbach Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Stephen Gladbach
Julie Garrett
July 6, 2013
My condolences to the entire Gladback family. I met Kathleen back in high school via Sarah Beaver and Denise Eatwell. When I first heard the story about Stephen's death, I thought the name was familiar. It then came to me that I remember meeting a very funny grade school classmate of two of my high school classmates. Again, my sincere condolences for the untimely death of your brother and son and father.
July 6, 2013
Our son, JC,is the same age as Steve was. JC also enjoys mountain climbing as well as other physically demanding sports.
Marge and Jack have been dear and loving friends since our college days.
We feel the pain of their loss, but we rejoice in the wonder of Steve's life!
May God grant you peace.
Marlene Strauss
Martin and Ofelia Bustamante
July 3, 2013
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Gladbach family. We are so sorry for your loss.
Bob Wald
July 2, 2013
Steve was an Eagle Scout in our Troop 98 from St. Ann's in Prairie Village, our asst. scoutmaster, and my 2nd cousin. I remember while living in Boulder watching his 1991? rescue from climbing in the Maroon Bells after a freak summer blizzard, ironically very near the location of his recent passing to God. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family for a life fully lived and given to others.
Mickie & Milton Trujillo
July 2, 2013
We loved Steve & family. We will sadly miss him but we have good memories of him with us. God was wainting for Steve on his Holy Mountain!
July 2, 2013
I met Steve in 1988, hiking the Colorado Trail for five weeks. Two things were clear about Steve then and always.... His love for his family and the mountains.
Happy trails Steve, you made a difference.
Julie Wumer Mesdag, Broomfield, Co
Steve McGurren
July 1, 2013
My thoughts and prayers are with the Gladbach family. I am sorry for your loss.
Anne DeCoursey Wanamaker
July 1, 2013
Love and prayers for the Gladbach family.
Jo Hanson
June 30, 2013
All the Gladbach family. I deeply share in your grief. I have so many fond memories of you all. Know that you are all in our prayers
Peggy Carr Kittel
June 30, 2013
Kathleen- My sympathy and prayers are with you and all your family in this time of grief.
Tim Kellerman
June 30, 2013
To the Gladbach family, I share this pain with you. In the past year, I had the opportunity to visit with Steve for a few hours at my Mom's house and catch up with him. When I learned of his death, I was in disbelief. I had the opportunity to get to know the spirit of Steve at a young age and can attest to his innate goodness that has been a constant in his life. In the main hallway at my house is a prominent drawing of our Lord as a carpenter. Steve gave this drawing to my wife and I as a wedding gift. Yesterday, I took the drawing off the wall to show my kids the message that Steve had written on the back to 'Tim and Nancy'. The message was Christ focused and to seek Him constantly throughout life. My kids, through his writing, were able to meet the spirit of Steve Gladbach.
This drawing will always be prominently displayed in my house just as it has for the past 26 years
and as I'm confident that Steve now rests with Him, I will ask Steve to look after my children, along side his own, all the days of their lives to protect them and cushion them from the inevitable falls that will occur.
With my deepest sympathy,
Tim Kellerman
Craig Schroeder
June 30, 2013
My sympathies to the Gladbach family.
Steve and I met on a Colorado Trail crew in 1987. His campfire stories of growing up in a big family left everyone laughing and falling off their camp stools. His "shaggy dog" story of Uncle Bill's allergy to peas was a classic. We became instant friends and worked on trail crews, hiked, climbed and skied many times after that.
Our phone conversations were 1-2 hour epics. We would exchange trip ideas, family news, career info and talk of life in general. I cherish every one of those calls. They gave me insights to a kind man, an adventurous man and, most importantly, a good family man.
I will miss Steve-O every day.And every day I hope to remember another story of him. I'm sure the days to come will be spent reading others' accounts of this fine man. He touched and influenced many lives. I'm glad he touched mine.
Every summit in the future will be celebrated with a big "Sooey pig!" for my buddy, Steve.
Susan Lazzo
June 30, 2013
Dear Gladbachs, I am so very sorry for your loss. Rest in peace, Steve.
Summit of Humboldt
Greg Fischer
June 29, 2013
14ers.com has always been a site where we can revel in one another's accomplishments and feats. It's been a place where we can learn from one another, share our tales, relive the experiences of others, and share our expertise and our gear. By all means, Steve fit every single one of these categories better than any other member of our mountaineer community as his accomplishments have (and always will be unmatched). However, he doesn't deserve to be reduced to the accolades of accomplishments in the mountains. The truth is Steve Gladbach, the legendary mountaineer, was a far more exceptional person.
When my wife and I both uprooted ourselves from Chicago in the summer of 2010 to take a last second teaching job in Pueblo, we knew not a single soul within 1000 miles in either direction. Within our first month here, Steve became the first person to reach out and welcome me to my new home. The first time I traveled with him, never meeting Steve in person before, we spent the next 2.5 hours in the car conversing as if our friendship spanned years. I felt – and still do – privileged to call him my mentor and my friend. Not only did he tutor a new hiker in the Colorado alpine, he became a friend invested in far more than my knowledge of mountains.
After an incident last year, Steve was one of the first people to reach out to me and he continued to check up on me in the months that followed. He truly uplifted my spirits and brought a bounce back in my step at a time when my world was very bleak merely by being himself, the guy who you could spend 2.5 hours talking with and not realize more than 10 minutes had pass (I can't even count the number of times that's happened to us). He was always willing to go above and beyond and never felt anyone's personal situation was out of touch from his life story. Regardless of your problem, Steve could relate not through sympathy but empathy. Steve's life was testament that our lowest moments in life do not break us, they make us exemplary individuals.
In the summer of 2011, I experienced one of my best days in the mountains with Steve. He asked me if I'd be willing to accompany him as he was bringing two of his high school summer school students up Humboldt. It became a quintessential experience with Steve from a circle-tour route to our seemingly endless conversations, and always encouraging our young hiking partners. At one point in the day he relayed the story of a dead car battery at the South Colony Lakes TH he had in early January of 1988 as if it happened yesterday with the level of detail. I laughed at him and said, “Steve, that happened 3 weeks before I was born.” He pondered for a second and asked, “When were you born???” I told him and he immediately responded, “That makes me old enough to be your dad. Come here, Son!” as he put his arm around me.
To Alise and Linda, your dad was an incredibly amazing person, he loves you dearly and ALWAYS took pride in your accomplishments. I am eternally humbled by the fact that I could call him my friend.
Steve and group resting on Long's Peak, Doing what he did best.
Jodi O'Hara
June 28, 2013
I am honored to have climbed and spent time with Steve in the mountains. Steve combined his two passions in life teaching and his love of the mountains. So much has been learned from him in the mountains and in life. Such a void left behind. My condolences to Steve's family, Linda, Elise and Nona.
June 28, 2013
Such a great loss. Steve your wisdom and humor in the mountain will be deeply missed. My condolences to Steve's family, Linda, Elise and Nona.
May 21, 2011 above S. Colony Lakes
Terry Mathews
June 28, 2013
I will always remember your kind-hearted spirit and generosity. You were an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing you. You will be profoundly missed.
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