Obituary: Gary Sawyer

August 3, 2020

Sunday August 15th 3pm at The Olenick’s

141 Cottonwood Lane

Carbondale

Potluck Cookout

Please bring a side dish, beverages and your camp chair

Let’s join together on Sunday, August 15th to celebrate the life of Gary Sawyer and to mourn his passing on August 3rd, 2020. All of Gary’s friends are invited to join us in sharing memories, hilarious anecdotes (we know there are many!), some classic Gary quotes, and to raise a glass of Irish Whisky in his honor.

Gary was a best friend to so many people in the Roaring Fork Valley. His love of the outdoors , his avid interest in other cultures, and his open spirit meant he also made lifelong friends around the world.

Gary was ‘the sprinkler guy’ in the valley. He started Ute Sprinkler back in the”80’s and it quickly became a thriving business. He was an incredibly hard worker and his clients loved and respected him.

Gary loved to read, especially history, and was knowledgeable on an extraordinary range of subjects. But what Gary really loved was spending time in the outdoors, traveling, and making new friends. Gary had a knack for making friends everywhere he went.

He used to run through the mountains for hours. After time, the running gave way to cycling, which he pursued with his classic intensity and passion. The door to his house in Moabwas was always open to his friends. Many nights there were air mattresses in the living room and kitchen, tents and campers in the backyard. After a long day of riding, the house would fill with friends. Dinner was cooked, beers knocked back, and laughter filled the air.

Recently, Gary was exploring Ireland. He loved to hike there and then share a pint with new friends in local pubs. He had also begun to visit a small Spanish island where the scenery was spectacular {both the countryside and local senhorita’s!) and he really enjoyed the laid back vibe of the island’s community.

Gary was an Aspen Mountain skier instructor for over 20 years. His love of skiing took him all over the world including race camp at Mammoth Mountain with ‘the chattering magpies’, Morocco, and Kashmir. His favorite place was La Grave, France. He traveled there with great friends and was welcomed back every winter by the La Grave community. Couloirs were explored, fine cheeses consumed, bottles emptied, and friendships flourished. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when an avalanche took his friend John’s life. It took so much from Gary but over time and with the love of his friends, Gary kept going and returned to La Grave and the community that meant so much to him; back to his cherished friends and laughter.

Laughter. That’s how we’ll remember Gary. It would start with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, then the quirky grin, and finally he’d say something outrageous and we’d all start laughing and not stop for hours.

A life filled with adventure, friends, and laughter. A life truly well lived.