Collin Ryan Gibbard, of Aspen, Colo., passed away Tuesday, Nov. 21, in Aspen. He was 41.
Collin was born in 1976 at Aspen Valley Hospital when it stood next to the Silver King housing development at the base of Red Mountain. He lived in Aspen Village as a baby before his parents built their house in the Little Elk Creek neighborhood of Old Snowmass in 1977, where he spent the bulk of his childhood. He rode the bus to Basalt public schools and excelled in math and science, graduating from Basalt High School in 1994. He went on to attend the University of Northern Colorado before returning to the Roaring Fork Valley.
Taking after his father, Collin was a lifelong, avid skier, racing with the Aspen Ski Club when it operated out of a small clubhouse near Lift 1-A at the bottom of Aspen Mountain. He knew that mountain and Aspen Highlands like the back of his hand, favoring runs like Walsh's and Bear Paw and laps in Highland Bowl. He played basketball on school teams and anywhere that had a ball and a hoop, a passion that he carried through adulthood. In high school, Collin found his athletic specialty on the track team, finishing second in the state of Colorado in the 2-mile run and setting a Basalt High School record that stood for more than 20 years.
Collin parlayed that athletic strength and stamina into a successful career in framing carpentry, leading crews on numerous multimillion-dollar custom homes and commercial projects over the next two decades. In 2017, he became a framing supervisor for Peak Interiors. Collin spent his adult life shaping the structural landscape of the Roaring Fork Valley, and his dedication to excellence and pride in his work helped define him.
Collin made a point of staying young at heart throughout his life and constantly sought fun and enjoyment for himself and those around him. He loved a diverse array of music, playing saxophone as a child and guitar through adulthood, and he attended concerts regularly. He was loved and respected by many for his kindness, loyalty and infectious happiness. His light shone bright, he always spoke the truth, his heart was always in the right place, and his smile would be caught on everyone else's face. He had the eye of the tiger, and he was strong. He will be missed tremendously.
Collin Ryan Gibbard is survived by his brother, Evan, his mother, Kathy, and his father, Jim (Jamie). Please join them as they honor Collin and to show support for his loving family and friends on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Orchard, 110 Snowmass Drive, Carbondale, Colo. A memorial service will be followed by a reception and light food and drink. To send flowers, contact Wenonah Recio at Botanical Floral Arts in Glenwood Springs at 970-379-4870 or wenonahrecio@hotmail.com. To help defray memorial costs, checks payable to the Collin Ryan Gibbard Fund can be mailed to Alpine Bank, 0350 Highway 133, Carbondale, CO 81623, or delivered to any Alpine Bank location; leftover funds will be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Condolences may be sent to Kathy Gibbard, 3109 ½ Arrowhead Trail, Grand Junction, CO 81504.