Douglas Charles "Blues" Voisard
Burial Details
Obituaries
Vail Daily page A4 - December 13, 2012
Vail Daily obituary: Douglas Charles “Blues” Voisard, 1949-2012.
Born Dec. 12, 1949, passed away Sunday. He would have turned 63 on 12/12/12.
Blues was a gentle giant and was loved by so many people in Vail and around the world. He had a special, giving way with all that he met along his journeys. Blues always gave a helping hand to anyone who asked, most recently to children in Nepal where he completed a journey with fellow climber and dear friend Brad Johnson. They completed a trek and summit of Ama Deblam and climbed many peaks in the Peruvian Andies. Blues was an accomplished ice and rock climber, a world-class speed skier, and a world-class kayaker who could be found on Class V rivers around the world. He was an avid mountain and road biker and an accomplished surfer, having surfed extensively in California, Maui, the North Shore famous pipeline, and throughout Costa Rica.
His early life, which contained such iconic memories as attendance at Woodstock and a stint working at Alice's Restaurant, led him to Vail and work at many of Vail's finest restaurants, becoming an icon in his own right.
Blues' perpetual need for adventure and quest for the perfect deep powder, wave or summit were what he lived for. If ever anyone lived their life with a seeking to fulfill their dreams, it was Blues. His love for freedom and the open air led him on many cross-country bicycle and motorcycle journeys and caused him to touch the hearts of many people along the way.
Blues is survived by his two sisters, Patricia Voisard and Josette Jones; his niece, Sarah Jones Fairchild; his nephew, Dale Fullerton; and two grand-nephews, Dylan and Owen Fullerton.
Please join us in remembering his extraordinary life.
On Friday, there will be calling hours from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Everett Family Mortuary Home in Gypsum (305 McGregor St.).
On Saturday, Mass will be given at 2 p.m. at St. Patrick's in Minturn. A memorial and stories about Blues will be from 3-5 p.m. at the Donovan Pavilion in Vail. A wake and toast to his life immediately following the memorial will be at Route 6 Cafe in Eagle-Vail
We invite all who knew him or were touched by him to join us in celebrating his life.
Vail Daily page A3 - December 10, 2012
Two men, both in the 60s, died Sunday at Vail Mountain in separate incidents.
The first happened around 7:25 a.m., when Vail Ski Patrol responded to a "medical incident" involving a man who was hiking up the Born Free trail on Vail Mountain prior to the mountain opening for the ski day.
Vail Mountain released a statement Sunday that said ski patrol provided advanced life support and transported the patient to an awaiting ambulance. He was then transported to the Vail Valley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the statement said.
Then, at about 9:48 a.m., ski patrol received another call about a separate medical incident on the Eagle Bahn Gondola. Paramedics responded to the top of the gondola and provided advanced life support while transporting the man to an ambulance in Lionshead. That man also was pronounced dead at the Vail Valley Medical Center, according to the statement.
Eagle County Coroner Kara Bettis said one of the men who died was Douglas Voisard, 63, who went by the nickname "Blues". He was a local resident, she said, but she did not say where exactly Voisard lived.
The other man was 61 and from Denver. Bettis said that man's next-of-kin had not yet been notified as of Sunday late afternoon, and therefore, she would not release his name.
Voisard's autopsy is scheduled for Monday, after which Bettis said she'd have more information on the cause of death. Bettis said she can't comment on cause of death until both autopsies are complete. She also would not comment on whether the deaths were accidents or naturally caused, although Vail Mountain initially reported the men both suffered cardiac arrest.
The Vail Ski Patrol and Vail Resorts family said via the statement that they "extend their deepest sympathy and support to the families and friends of the two men."
