Stephen "Custy" Custenborder died on May 4, 2003 at his longtime home up the Fryingpan River. in Pitkin County, CO. He was 55.Custenborder graduated from high school in Arizona, where he was a state gymnastic champion on the rings. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Colorado and shortly thereafter moved to the Roaring Fork Valley, where he lived for the rest of his life.Custenborder lived and worked at Gretl's Restaurant on Aspen Mountain in the early 1970s and trained as a carpenter at Colorado Mountain College.He was a member of Trout Unlimited and the Sierra Club, and was an avid outdoorsman. His passions included skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, fly tying, camping, boating and visiting his friends. He is survived by his mother, Jean Custenborder. He will be greatly missed by all of his friends. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Fisherman's Park on Two Rivers Road, near the upvalley entrance to Basalt, CO. A potluck will follow at 120 E. Sopris Drive in Basalt. For more information call 927-3274
Steve and I were close friends in high school. We were on the gymnastics team together and both did the still rings and high bar -- practicing and helping one another daily. Away from the gym we were close too. My Dad (Joel C White Jr, RIP) was a high school teacher at Tucson High School (THS) and Steve's Mom was too. My Dad and Steve's Mom dated --- and for a while Steve and I thought we might become step brothers. The relationship between my Dad and his Mom didn't work out but Steve and I remained close...buddy brothers. After I left Tucson and moved to California (1965), Steve and I kept in contact for a while. Once I enlisted in the US Army (1968) we lost contact and then Steve ended up moving and living in Colorado. I last talked to Steve on the telephone around 1999-2000 and we caught up but we never got together again. Steve was a good, kind, caring person and a good buddy. A lot of fond memories. Rest in Peace Steve -- buddy.
Custy and I remained friends and in contact for many years after graduation. He had a couple of classes left to graduate from Uof A but went to Boulder to finish them .He fell in love with the mountains and became a Mountain Man. He lived in a number af places from Aspin to Basalt and always had room for a visitor. He settled in a small cabin on the Frying Pan River and knew quite a number of fish by name on that river and knew just what fly to use and where to put it to catch and release that fish. His cabin was simple; heated by a wood burninig stove. He had no shower, but a large antique bath supported by ornate clawed feet. He worked hard everyday as a carpenter but at evening time you would find him somewhere on the river with fly rod in hand.Winter time found him skiing and he became known and skilled. He and "his bunch" would be dropped off by helicoptor to ski remote virgin areas when not on the Aspin slopes.
On one of our hikes by Independence pass we sat on a rock and he told me that there might be some familiy money in it for him if he would just do something with his life and he said what they didn t get was that he was already doing it.
There are a lot of stories that would confirm his generostiy, kindness, love of life, and adventure.I am sure I am just one among many that could tell them .He is still missed by all that knew him.
It doesn't get much better than Rick Hibner's tribute to Steve Custenborder. We could all hope to leave such good memories with our best friends. I remember playing with Custy and Debbie Lucas out in the dirt in the fields behind Indian Ridge Estates when my family first moved to Tucson and we were all attending Lizzie Brown Elementary. He was a sweet soul then, and always remained so. His family should be happy he found so much peace in the mountains. Hopefully his Spirit is still there.
Sandi Seiler (Harrington)
Custy Is missed by many.
Stephen "Custy" Custenborder died on May 4, 2003 at his longtime home up the Fryingpan River. in Pitkin County, CO. He was 55.Custenborder graduated from high school in Arizona, where he was a state gymnastic champion on the rings. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Colorado and shortly thereafter moved to the Roaring Fork Valley, where he lived for the rest of his life.Custenborder lived and worked at Gretl's Restaurant on Aspen Mountain in the early 1970s and trained as a carpenter at Colorado Mountain College.He was a member of Trout Unlimited and the Sierra Club, and was an avid outdoorsman. His passions included skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, fly tying, camping, boating and visiting his friends. He is survived by his mother, Jean Custenborder. He will be greatly missed by all of his friends. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Fisherman's Park on Two Rivers Road, near the upvalley entrance to Basalt, CO. A potluck will follow at 120 E. Sopris Drive in Basalt. For more information call 927-3274
Daniel Edward White
Steve and I were close friends in high school. We were on the gymnastics team together and both did the still rings and high bar -- practicing and helping one another daily. Away from the gym we were close too. My Dad (Joel C White Jr, RIP) was a high school teacher at Tucson High School (THS) and Steve's Mom was too. My Dad and Steve's Mom dated --- and for a while Steve and I thought we might become step brothers. The relationship between my Dad and his Mom didn't work out but Steve and I remained close...buddy brothers. After I left Tucson and moved to California (1965), Steve and I kept in contact for a while. Once I enlisted in the US Army (1968) we lost contact and then Steve ended up moving and living in Colorado. I last talked to Steve on the telephone around 1999-2000 and we caught up but we never got together again. Steve was a good, kind, caring person and a good buddy. A lot of fond memories. Rest in Peace Steve -- buddy.
Richard Clayton Hibner
Custy and I remained friends and in contact for many years after graduation. He had a couple of classes left to graduate from Uof A but went to Boulder to finish them .He fell in love with the mountains and became a Mountain Man. He lived in a number af places from Aspin to Basalt and always had room for a visitor. He settled in a small cabin on the Frying Pan River and knew quite a number of fish by name on that river and knew just what fly to use and where to put it to catch and release that fish. His cabin was simple; heated by a wood burninig stove. He had no shower, but a large antique bath supported by ornate clawed feet. He worked hard everyday as a carpenter but at evening time you would find him somewhere on the river with fly rod in hand.Winter time found him skiing and he became known and skilled. He and "his bunch" would be dropped off by helicoptor to ski remote virgin areas when not on the Aspin slopes.
On one of our hikes by Independence pass we sat on a rock and he told me that there might be some familiy money in it for him if he would just do something with his life and he said what they didn t get was that he was already doing it.
There are a lot of stories that would confirm his generostiy, kindness, love of life, and adventure.I am sure I am just one among many that could tell them .He is still missed by all that knew him.
Terry Ross MacDonald
It doesn't get much better than Rick Hibner's tribute to Steve Custenborder. We could all hope to leave such good memories with our best friends. I remember playing with Custy and Debbie Lucas out in the dirt in the fields behind Indian Ridge Estates when my family first moved to Tucson and we were all attending Lizzie Brown Elementary. He was a sweet soul then, and always remained so. His family should be happy he found so much peace in the mountains. Hopefully his Spirit is still there.