Candis ‘Candee’ Marie Strasbourger
Candis (Candee) Marie Strasbourger, born May 28th, 1951 (age 67), passed during golden hour at 5:06pm MST, October 5th, at the Aspen Valley Hospital. She was surrounded by loved ones with sun shining on her face as she left peacefully. Her battle with cancer lasted 15 years and is a true testament to her warrior spirit, fighting on until the very last second.
Born in Vacaville, California to Hazel and Dave McCready, she was the proud and eldest sibling, leading the pack of her brothers David and Daniel, and her sister Kimberlee (remarkably born on the same day 5 years apart). As the daughter of a fire chief she was absolutely fearless, often at the forefront of follow the leader along the rock cliffs of the Azores, during their 5 years there. She lived in Aspen for the past 42 years and was a devoted mother to Brock and a loving wife to Skip. With her own backyard wildlife preserve she was a real life Dr. Doolittle, in love with and in awe of the bears, foxes, deer, elk, raccoons, hummingbirds, and so much more that happily graced her life each and every day. An avid backseat driver, fiend for Kenichi’s Dynamite Shrimp, lover of 80s music, Denver Broncos fan, chef of a world famous green bean casserole, and hater of Skip’s ice chewing; Candee was the second mother for so many of Brock’s friends who looked to her for life advice as she helped them become wonderful men and women across the country. Her sincerity, strong beliefs, strength, and fortitude are widely acknowledged and celebrated by everyone who knew her.
Candee first moved to Colorado as a California girl looking for time in the mountains. She met Skip and after a long courtship decided to join him in Aspen in 1975 prior to getting married in 1980. Together they began building Aspen Ski Tours and The Travel Agents, the present day Ski.com, and settled in Mountain Valley in the home they built and still live in.
After giving birth to Brock in 1987 she started her career as a wonderful mother, youth soccer coach, volunteer, booster club member, owner/operator of their Mountain Valley crash pad/hostel, purveyor of Entenmann’s Chocolate Donuts, and so much more.
Candee was preceded in death by her father Dave, her mother Hazel, and her brother David. She is survived by her husband Skip, her son Brock, her sister Kimberlee, her brother Daniel, her brother-in-law Bob, her sister-in-law Shelley, her nieces Julie and Janelle and nephew Rob (“Bobby”), all of her “children” that viewed her as their second mother, and dear friends around the world.
The celebration of life will be held on Saturday, October 13th at the Maroon Creek Club in Aspen from 4pm-7pm.
To all of her friends and loved ones, thank you so much for all of your love, support, thoughts, and positive energy. It was felt throughout her battle.
A special thanks to the staff at Valley View Hospital and Aspen Valley Hospital.
As a fire chief’s daughter, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Aspen Volunteer Fire Department.
This is not goodbye as you will always be with us. We love you so much and carry you in our hearts forever.
What a glorious gift she was to us all!
