Bertold Karl Gerhardt Puchtler has left us.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Below is an email I recieved from the family about our member gabrielo

Bert became a part of the BOL community several years ago. He was very active, fun loving and a friend. I am saddened to hear of his passing.

He will always remind me of what can be done with a passion for life and a willingness to "Go for it". He was always on an adventure. A great state!

I believe this was Bert's last post here on BOL.

From the email.

For those of you for whom the news of Bert Puchtler's death is new information, we are so deeply sorry to be bearing this very hard news.

If this notification reaches you in error or is a repetition, our apologies; we are working very hard to contact friends and family across the world and mistakes are inevitable.

-For any correspondence, please use the email we have created: bertmemorial@gmail.com

-We are willing to be in contact with anyone who has questions.

-We are also encouraging anyone who has impressions, memories and/or photos of Bert to share them with us at bertmemorial@gmail.com

Please read the obituary included below for more details and information about services and how to donate in Bert's name.

If you'd like to attend a service, RSVP to bertmemorial@gmail.com . Let us know your name and relationship to Bert, and which event you'll come to.

yours in loss,

Scobie and Shanta Puchtler,

sons of Bert Puchtler.

bertmemorial@gmail.com

Bertold Karl Gerhardt Puchtler

Bert Puchtler of Seattle, Washington took his life on April 18, 2008. He was 71 years old.

Bert grew up in and near Berlin during World War II, and immigrated with his mother and brother Wolfgang to the USA at age 14. He attended high school in Binghamton, New York, where he played football and started a marksmanship club. He studied political science at Wesleyan University and received a master’s degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley. He was part of the first Peace Corps group to Nepal, serving in the town of Pokhara from 1962 to 1964, where he taught, helped build the local school, and made lifelong friends. His time in Nepal further fueled his interest in mountaineering; years later Bert would return to Nepal to climb peaks higher than any in the US.

He married Catherine Howe in 1965, and they had two sons, Shanta Armstrong Puchtler and Joel Scobie Puchtler. Bert worked for the US Agency for International Development in Vang Vieng, Laos, where the family lived for five years. Inspired by the mountains he had climbed during college summers spent working on the Alaska Railroad, Bert moved his family to Fairbanks. There he worked for the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Area Native Health Service for over 25 years, traveling extensively to native villages throughout the state.

Bert's independence and industriousness flourished in Alaska, where he built the family home by hand, and became an accomplished wood worker, glider pilot, bush pilot, hunter, fisherman, and mountaineer. Bert read widely and voraciously, and spoke English, German, Spanish, Thai, Lao, and Nepali.

After retirement in 1996, Bert made Seattle his base camp for exploring new interests. Over several summer trips to Europe, he put 16,000 miles on his Vespa motor scooter, relishing the smallest switchback roads, and cresting every high mountain pass in the Alps. Each fall, he migrated to windsurfing sites in Baja, Mexico, refining his skills with each trip. In winter, he joined a younger generation snowboarding on the slopes at Powder Mountain in Utah and at Kicking Horse in British Columbia, where he became a Canadian-certified snowboard instructor at age 67, and taught professionally thereafter. He could tear up the slopes and his most recent passion was hard boot carving on long boards.

Bert will be deeply missed by family and friends from around the world. He struggled with depression, alcohol, and drugs, but will surely be remembered for his fiercely independent spirit, focused mind, playfulness and athleticism. He is survived by his younger brother Wolfgang Puchtler of Puyallup, WA, his two sons and their families, Shanta and his wife Sarah Lord of Cambridge, MA, Scobie, his wife Sarah Felstiner, and their son Brayden of Seattle, WA, as well as by his former wife Catherine Short of Lee, N.H.

MEMORIAL GATHERINGS

With Bert’s family scattered across the country, and his friends scattered across the world, choosing a location for his memorial service has been a challenge. We have done some soul searching on this, and have decided to organize one primary service, as well as a gathering in Seattle. In each case, further details will be forthcoming, but please put these dates into your calendar. If you need to buy plane tickets or book hotel rooms, please know that these dates are solid -- we'll clarify the exact times of day and exact locations as soon as we can, and provide further information on lodging and travel.

Primary memorial service: Fairbanks, Alaska, Saturday June 21st

With such strong response from the many friends he maintained in Alaska, the fact that our own deepest connections as his sons were forged in Fairbanks, and Bert’s request that his ashes be scattered there, we’ve come to feel solid about having his memorial service in Fairbanks. It will be held on Saturday, June 21st , a very special time of the year in the ‘land of the midnight sun’. We will likely start in the mid-afternoon.

Seattle gathering: Seattle, Washington, Wednesday June 18th

When he wasn’t traveling, Bert’s last 12 years were spent in Seattle. So it also feels important to acknowledge that there are many wonderful friends and connections throughout the northwest who can’t make the trip to Fairbanks. We’ll hold a special gathering in Bert’s memory in Seattle in the late afternoon on Wednesday, June 18th, and carry messages from that gathering to the Alaska service.

Please send an email to bertmemorial@gmail.com to let us know which, if any, of these gatherings you would like attend. Thank you.

If you know anyone who would appreciate being notified of these gatherings, please provide us their email address or ask them to send us a quick email at bertmemorial@gmail.com with their names and contact information. That way we can make sure to include them on this as well as a more complete invitation when we have all the details pinned down.

It won’t surprise anyone who knew Bert that these gatherings will be informal in nature. In preparation, please send along stories or photos to contribute to the event, especially if you know you won't be able to attend in person.

We look forward to seeing many of you this June, in Seattle and/or Fairbanks. We both expect to be at each of these events. Look forward to further details soon.

DONATIONS:

On a related note, some people have asked how they can make a donation in Bert's name. We have left details of that at the bottom of this email. He was a loyal and valued volunteer at the Food Bank in Seattle during the last few years of his life, and would have appreciated any support we could give them.

For anyone inclined to make a donation to honor Bert's name, here is

the information on the Food Bank.

By check:

checks to:

Family Works Food Bank

check memo: memory of Bert Puchtler

send to:

Family Works

1501 N. 45th St. Seattle, WA

98103

Online:

http://bertmemorialdonation.notlong.com

-specify "Food Bank" in the "designation" box

-specify Bert Puchtler in the dedication box

-if you wish to use the eCard feature to let the family know of

your donation, use the email address: bertmemorial@gmail.com

[Jack M]

carving at 70 - an inspiration to us all! my condolences to his family.

[LeeW]

Ah, God rest his soul.

[Kirk]

I had a chance to meet Bert and ride w/him a bit @ Powder Mt. some time back. SUPER friendly and outgoing individual in addition to being a VERY enthusiastic and passionate hardbooter. The guy could ride! And after reading his obituary, I have a better understanding for that passion - what a fascinating life!

I am very sorrry to hear of this. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

[carvedog]

You are my hero carving at 70

My own quote from before.

So sorry we never got to ride together. Bert may you find peace.

Sincere condolences to the family.

[Allee]

What an amazing guy, and it sounds like he led an amazing life.

I think of 70 as young, but I suppose it's how much life you live, as opposed to how long you live, and this guy lived in spades. An inspiration, for sure. RIP.

[Dan]

Very sorry to hear that - when I met him last year, he seemed like he was going to keep steaming on forever. Rest in peace, Bert.

[eaglez]

"took his life"......... so profoundly sad that someone can get to the point that continuing to live is no longer an option.......

My condolences to his family and friends.

D.

[queequeg]

Wow. Despite prematurely ending it, his sounds like one of those rare lives that absolutely, positively, could never be mistaken as one gone to waste. Every time I hear a story like this, it makes me a bit more ashamed of my cubicle day job, and motivates me to extract myself from it more quickly.

Rest in peace.

[willywhit]

"took his life"......... so profoundly sad that someone can get to the point that continuing to live is no longer an option.......

My condolences to his family and friends.

D.

yeah, same thought here. Sounds like he had an amazing life.

Pow turns and face shots in Heaven

[Snowsurfer]

Yes, a very full and inspirational life, one that I could hope to emulate.

I did not know Bert. I did, however, attend high school with his son Shanta, in Florida in the early 80s (small world, eh ?). We were merely acquaintances, had a few classes together, but I do recall Shanta being extremely motivated and bright, a valedictorian candidate, and I believe he ended up attending an Ivy League school. A definite case of the "nut not falling far from the tree".

If you happen to read this Shanta (and your family), my sincere condolences also.

Dennis Orlowski

VBHS Class of 1983

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful posts. I have forwarded the link to his family. If you do by chance have photos or stories that could be passed along please, by all means, do so. Once again I am so impressed and humbled by the kindness of BOL members. Bryan.

[Guest Spuchtler]

Hello to all the bombers out there. My name is Shanta Puchtler and I am one of Bert Puchtler's two sons. I am not a snow boarder so I feel awkward going onto your blog, but I just wanted to stop in and thank you ALL for your kind thoughts, memories, and support for Bert and for our family during this difficult time. Having never gone through this sort of thing before, I am just coming to realize how having friends, family, AND the wider net of contacts and support people is so important.

We will print your posts and share them as part of our memorial service in June.

In sadness, and with HUGE warmth and thanks,

Shanta Puchtler

[willywhit]

Hello to all the bombers out there. My name is Shanta Puchtler and I am one of Bert Puchtler's two sons. I am not a snow boarder so I feel awkward going onto your blog, but I just wanted to stop in and thank you ALL for your kind thoughts, memories, and support for Bert and for our family during this difficult time. Having never gone through this sort of thing before, I am just coming to realize how having friends, family, AND the wider net of contacts and support people is so important.

We will print your posts and share them as part of our memorial service in June.

In sadness, and with HUGE warmth and thanks,

Shanta Puchtler

Shanta,

Your dad was part of a very unique group of snowboarders/humans. I think you know you have us with you in your pain, your grief and your prayers. I know you will celebrate the outstanding life your dad had. Having lost a very special parent myself over 10 years ago, it still chokes me up remembering what one goes through when they're gone.

If you ever wanna grab a beer in Cambridge, let me know. Maybe I can inspire you to follow in your dad's footsteps and CARVE IT UP.

~Peace

~WW~

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Shanta,

Your dad was part of a very unique group of snowboarders/humans. I think you know you have us with you in your pain, your grief and your prayers. I know you will celebrate the outstanding life your dad had. Having lost a very special parent myself over 10 years ago, it still chokes me up remembering what one goes through when they're gone.

If you ever wanna grab a beer in Cambridge, let me know. Maybe I can inspire you to follow in your dad's footsteps and CARVE IT UP.

~Peace

~WW~

Well said WW !

[Coloradoking]

while i have never met him or do not know him; it took me two minutes of reading to respect him. such an amazing life is something we rarely come across in our time. this is the kind of person that has made everything of every day in his entire life of over 70 years; my prayers, my thoughts and my condolences go to his family. may he rest in peace.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Website dedicated to Bert's Memorial Services

May you rest in Peace Bert. You were indeed an amazing man. I only wish I had more chances to know you better and you hear of your adventures. Peace to your family and loved ones. Bryan