Ryan Mark Stuebs

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Beloved Son, Father, Brother, Spouse, Uncle, and friend, Ryan Mark Stuebs, “Nibbs," age 44, died by his own hand tragically, early the morning of March 1, 2021.

Ryan grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin where he learned family values, hard work, and was grounded in his strong faith in God. Ryan went to St. Peter Lutheran grade school and graduated at Weyauwega-Fremont High School, class of 1995, where he was a talented wrestler known as "purple pie man." He had hunting and fishing in his genes as a young man, bringing home squirrels, black birds, ducks, anything his mother would cook. He ran trap lines before school. He later learned to process game, always said, “I was the son of a butcher,” processing deer by the 100's when his family operated "Little River Meats.”

Just out of high school, Ryan chased his dream heading west to Southern Colorado, the San Luis Valley. A place he had hunted as a young man. He raised a beautiful daughter Brooke, as you can imagine a daughter of an avid outdoors men, Brooke, Brooks and streams and of course, the colorful and playful, Brooke trout. She was aptly named. Ryan loved outdoor adventures and Brooke even as a toddler came along. Ryan gave the gift of the love he had of the outdoors to so many. His goal was to become the longest and best guide rowing on the Upper Rio Grande, any who knew him or fished with him knew he had achieved that long ago. He loved to teach those who never fished the joy of fly fishing.  He taught any young guide willing to listen. Who knows how many fishermen became “hooked.” When he wasn't guiding fishing trips, he chased mountain lions, stalked elk, used his gifted talents in carpentry, and played a rancher driving cattle with Rick, Catherine, and many others. He never walked away from hard work, a friend or challenge.

Ryan was proud of all the generous single acts, his wife’s first elk, his family and friends’ trophies hang many places, though beautiful the memories surrounding them are priceless and meant so much to him. Many of those trophies hang in households thanks to Ryan’s mountain man instincts climbing any elevation, no matter how steep the mountain, deep the ravine, or whatever the push was, putting in time and miles and his famous words of "I'm not lost, I just don't know where I am right now," but he always found his way.

Friends and family in both Wisconsin and Colorado knew Ryan to be happy, humble, generous, hardworking and joyful, but most important to him, a man of God's word. He would always lend a helping hand with a giving heart.  His generosity was well known.

His wife Amanda Lewis stole his heart when they met the summer of 2016. He taught her how to catch a trout and kill an elk, not one but two. She loved to watch him fall in love with food and wine to the pleasure of his other friends. He used to say how much he loved it when his mother-in-law would say, “I just love watching you enjoy your food.”

Ryan is survived by his wife, Amanda Lewis, daughter Brooke Stuebs (her fiancé Dalton Martinez), Father and step-mother, Mark and Pam Stuebs, Pamela Lewis, his beloved sister Sarah Rhone, her husband Jeremy, his nieces MaKayla and Kendra Lenz, nephews Justin Lenz and Blake Rhone, many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, too numerous to count.

Ryan was loved by many and cherished memories with his family but also embraced the love of what he called his “Friend Family” — Micah, Eric, Ryan, Chad, Rick, Lugail, Joel, Kevin, Beau, Chez, Jim, Clinton, Clayton, Rebecca, and so many more.

Ryan was preceded in death by his loving Mother, Barbara Stuebs, Lt. Col. Larry Lewis, Grandparents Neal and Donna Stuebs and Raymond and Joyce Kempf.

Please remember Ryan as living life to the fullest carrying his Mother's legacy of "you gotta have fun" and baby stepping along the way as his favorite movie "What about Bob" would say. We take profound comfort in our time of loss and sadness knowing he is continuing his mountain man journey, into the foothills of heaven with his Savior. In John Denver’s words, “Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forest and the streams, seeking grace in every step he takes.” — Rocky Mountain High.

A Visitation will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by a Funeral Service 1 p.m. on Monday, March 8, 2021 at the Rogers Family Mortuary, 404 Morris St. in Monte Vista. Interment will follow services near his hometown in Wisconsin at a later date.

Rogers Family Mortuary is in care of the arrangements. To leave online condolences, remembrances and words of strength for Ryan’s family, please visit www.RogersFunerals.com.