Bryan Louis Kercher
1966 - 2021
❦ Early Life: Bryan was born January 25, 1966, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, to Leroy Francis and Helga Elfriede Apt Kercher. His family moved to Muncie, Indiana, where Bryan spent his childhood just being a regular kid: building forts in a nearby patch of woods, setting off firecrackers on the Fourth of July, playing ping-pong and pitch-and-catch, building model cars, slinging acorns with his wrist-rocket, collecting beer cans, riding his bike all over the place, and occasionally picking on his little brother.
❦ Bryan attended Northside High School in Muncie, where he worked hard to make the grade. He took special interest in advanced math courses, German (his mother's native tongue), and coding BASIC programs on a TRS-80. His efforts led to membership in the National Honor Society, all the while setting his clock-radio for 5:00 a.m in order to deliver the Muncie Morning Star (whether rain, sleet, or snow). It was in high school that Bryan discovered a lifelong love of running, and made some lifelong friends on Northside's cross-country team. On occasion, he and his friends were observed putting in ten-milers "just for fun".
❦ Life's Work | Service | Interests: Bryan was accepted into Purdue University College of Engineering. He liked the program so much that he repeated some courses just so that he could extend the experience an extra year. While earning his degree in electrical engineering, Bryan learned how to flip burgers at Steak 'n Shake, ride a motorcycle, and talk to girls. He joined Purdue's crew team, rowing until blisters covered both palms, literally. His contributions to the team allowed him to travel around the country with his teammates, compete at the varsity level, and see what the United States looked like beyond the cornfields of Indiana. Bryan met his future wife, Lisa Ann Labadie, while rowing for Purdue, and upon graduation, were married August 31, 1991, in Terre Haute. The two of them started their lives together in Muncie, where Bryan was hired by ABB to assist in the design of large power transformers.
❦ Bryan appeared to be on a fairly typical path through life, as careers took Bryan and Lisa first to St. Louis, Missouri, where their son, Eric Michael, was born in 1994, and then to Houston, Texas, where their daughter, Sarah Anne, was born in 1998. In late 2001, opportunities for advancement brought the Kercher family to Hamilton, Montana. There in the Bitterroot Valley, Bryan embraced his role as both soccer dad and Taekwondo dad. He also took on the role of Scout leader for his son's troop, where for many years, he helped the Scouts explore the wilderness, earn their badges, and become self-reliant.
❦ Bryan and Lisa eventually parted ways. He found employment as an engineering tech at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, where really big-brained, hard-working people try to protect us all from the next killer contagion. There, Bryan met his second wife, Stacey, through her mom (a coworker at RML) and the two were married in 2010. Although the two eventually parted ways as well, they remained close friends. Recently, Bryan met his partner, Rachel, who somehow managed to see through a weathered exterior and recognize the goodness inside. They were on a good path together.
Bryan had many interests and passions. He was a bit of a genealogy nut (a term used with great affection), who could spend hours tracking down relations and events, take time off to comb through great family history archives at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, and contribute research to genealogy books written by other authors. He loved riding his motorcycle, having taken the pilgrimage to Sturgis and many other rides with his biker friends (and not without a couple spills along the way). He loved photography (especially with real, actual cameras), as is evident on social media. His love of running continued; he ran many marathons, a few cross-country ultra-marathons, and had his eye on one more ultra-marathon later in 2021.
❦ Above all those interests, though, was his passion for the wilderness. Glacier National Park was quite possibly his favorite place on Earth. The miles he hiked and the summits he climbed in those mountains can't be accurately counted. More important to him than his list of summits were the people he adventured with…whether occasional hiking partners or fellow members of the mountaineering clubs that he belonged to, the Rocky Mountaineers and the Glacier Mountaineering Society. Bryan seemed to be able to make friends with just about anyone he met, learn from their experiences, and make them laugh once or twice (also evident in social media). He also loved pretty much the entire Colorado Plateau. He took many trips deep into its canyons, exploring its arches and waterfalls, hunting for ruins and rock art, camping in the boondocks, and cooking up not-so-delicious freeze-dried camp food (and later on, inevitably repeating the line "Put that in your book!").
❦ Some other accomplishments he was surely proud of: beating kidney cancer, fending off a charging grizzly sow while simultaneously avoiding a slip into Iceberg Lake, backpacking in and out of the Grand Canyon, completing the Grand Teton loop, a trip with his daughter to explore Olympic Peninsula, guiding his parents and siblings around the magnificence of Glacier, completing Ride Across Indiana with his dad, scaring away a herd of cows that were pooping all over his designated campsite along the upper Missouri River with a noise that no human should be able to make, his radio call sign "Burger King", "Bry-Tunes", summiting Mt. Rainier, attempting Denali, learning how to ice climb, and visiting pictographs all over red rock country.
❦ None of these matched the pride he felt for what his son and daughter have already accomplished, and how much further he believed they would go. It is with great sorrow that the family of Bryan Louis Kercher must announce his passing on May 8, 2021. Bryan, of Hamilton, Montana, lost his life while descending from the summit of Sugarloaf Peak in the Bitterroot Mountains. He was 55.
❦ Family Message: "We will all remember him as a someone who lived his life fully, as a warm and generous friend, as a kind and loving partner, and a devoted son, father, and brother. In lieu of flowers, Eric and Sarah ask for donations to the American Cancer Society in Bryan's name."
❦ Survived By: His children, Eric and Sarah; his parents, Leroy and Helga Kercher; his brother, John Kercher; and sister, Holly Kercher Choate. He will also be remembered by former spouses, Lisa and Stacey; by his partner, Rachel; and by so many extended family members, friends, and colleagues that they cannot be listed here.
❦ Celebration of Life: Lindy and Susan Hardman residence
❦ Location: 500 Lovers Lane | Hamilton, Montana
❦ Arrangements: Daly-Leach Memorial Chapel
❦ Obituary: © 2021 | Daly-Leach Chapel
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bryan Kercher was also a dedicated Find a Grave contributor and research buddy of mine. I will miss him. Please see his Find a Grave contributions and profile here.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bitterroot Valley Climber Dies in Accident
A well-known Bitterroot Valley climber and outdoorsman died Saturday after falling about 1,000 feet down a steep, ice-covered slope.
Bryan Louis Kercher, 55, was with a group of climbers descending from Sugarloaf Peak southwest of Darby when temperatures dropped significantly, which caused the ice on the mountainside to harden, according to Ravalli County Sheriff/Coroner Steve Holton.
The winds increased and covered the trail with loose snow, which made climbing conditions severe. Kercher slipped and began sliding down a steep slope before striking a large boulder. He sustained fatal injuries in the fall. The climbing party used an InReach emergency beacon to summon emergency services.
Ravalli County Search and Rescue responded that evening, but due to conditions on the mountain, they did not reach the scene until morning. Two Bear Air and Search and Rescue volunteers retrieved the body.
"It was one of those freak things that happen," Holton said. "It's really sad."
Holton and the Ravalli County Search and Rescue extend their condolences to Kercher's family and friends. Holton also thanked the volunteers and Two Bear Air for their expertise and assistance in the recovery effort.
The press release said backcountry recreationists are encouraged to be aware of and plan for rapidly changing weather conditions in mountains during the spring. People are encouraged to carry an emergency beacon to summon for help, as the climbers in this situation were able to do.
© Perry Backus | Ravalli Republic | Hamilton, Montana | Monday, 10 May 2021
1966 - 2021
❦ Early Life: Bryan was born January 25, 1966, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, to Leroy Francis and Helga Elfriede Apt Kercher. His family moved to Muncie, Indiana, where Bryan spent his childhood just being a regular kid: building forts in a nearby patch of woods, setting off firecrackers on the Fourth of July, playing ping-pong and pitch-and-catch, building model cars, slinging acorns with his wrist-rocket, collecting beer cans, riding his bike all over the place, and occasionally picking on his little brother.
❦ Bryan attended Northside High School in Muncie, where he worked hard to make the grade. He took special interest in advanced math courses, German (his mother's native tongue), and coding BASIC programs on a TRS-80. His efforts led to membership in the National Honor Society, all the while setting his clock-radio for 5:00 a.m in order to deliver the Muncie Morning Star (whether rain, sleet, or snow). It was in high school that Bryan discovered a lifelong love of running, and made some lifelong friends on Northside's cross-country team. On occasion, he and his friends were observed putting in ten-milers "just for fun".
❦ Life's Work | Service | Interests: Bryan was accepted into Purdue University College of Engineering. He liked the program so much that he repeated some courses just so that he could extend the experience an extra year. While earning his degree in electrical engineering, Bryan learned how to flip burgers at Steak 'n Shake, ride a motorcycle, and talk to girls. He joined Purdue's crew team, rowing until blisters covered both palms, literally. His contributions to the team allowed him to travel around the country with his teammates, compete at the varsity level, and see what the United States looked like beyond the cornfields of Indiana. Bryan met his future wife, Lisa Ann Labadie, while rowing for Purdue, and upon graduation, were married August 31, 1991, in Terre Haute. The two of them started their lives together in Muncie, where Bryan was hired by ABB to assist in the design of large power transformers.
❦ Bryan appeared to be on a fairly typical path through life, as careers took Bryan and Lisa first to St. Louis, Missouri, where their son, Eric Michael, was born in 1994, and then to Houston, Texas, where their daughter, Sarah Anne, was born in 1998. In late 2001, opportunities for advancement brought the Kercher family to Hamilton, Montana. There in the Bitterroot Valley, Bryan embraced his role as both soccer dad and Taekwondo dad. He also took on the role of Scout leader for his son's troop, where for many years, he helped the Scouts explore the wilderness, earn their badges, and become self-reliant.
❦ Bryan and Lisa eventually parted ways. He found employment as an engineering tech at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, where really big-brained, hard-working people try to protect us all from the next killer contagion. There, Bryan met his second wife, Stacey, through her mom (a coworker at RML) and the two were married in 2010. Although the two eventually parted ways as well, they remained close friends. Recently, Bryan met his partner, Rachel, who somehow managed to see through a weathered exterior and recognize the goodness inside. They were on a good path together.
Bryan had many interests and passions. He was a bit of a genealogy nut (a term used with great affection), who could spend hours tracking down relations and events, take time off to comb through great family history archives at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, and contribute research to genealogy books written by other authors. He loved riding his motorcycle, having taken the pilgrimage to Sturgis and many other rides with his biker friends (and not without a couple spills along the way). He loved photography (especially with real, actual cameras), as is evident on social media. His love of running continued; he ran many marathons, a few cross-country ultra-marathons, and had his eye on one more ultra-marathon later in 2021.
❦ Above all those interests, though, was his passion for the wilderness. Glacier National Park was quite possibly his favorite place on Earth. The miles he hiked and the summits he climbed in those mountains can't be accurately counted. More important to him than his list of summits were the people he adventured with…whether occasional hiking partners or fellow members of the mountaineering clubs that he belonged to, the Rocky Mountaineers and the Glacier Mountaineering Society. Bryan seemed to be able to make friends with just about anyone he met, learn from their experiences, and make them laugh once or twice (also evident in social media). He also loved pretty much the entire Colorado Plateau. He took many trips deep into its canyons, exploring its arches and waterfalls, hunting for ruins and rock art, camping in the boondocks, and cooking up not-so-delicious freeze-dried camp food (and later on, inevitably repeating the line "Put that in your book!").
❦ Some other accomplishments he was surely proud of: beating kidney cancer, fending off a charging grizzly sow while simultaneously avoiding a slip into Iceberg Lake, backpacking in and out of the Grand Canyon, completing the Grand Teton loop, a trip with his daughter to explore Olympic Peninsula, guiding his parents and siblings around the magnificence of Glacier, completing Ride Across Indiana with his dad, scaring away a herd of cows that were pooping all over his designated campsite along the upper Missouri River with a noise that no human should be able to make, his radio call sign "Burger King", "Bry-Tunes", summiting Mt. Rainier, attempting Denali, learning how to ice climb, and visiting pictographs all over red rock country.
❦ None of these matched the pride he felt for what his son and daughter have already accomplished, and how much further he believed they would go. It is with great sorrow that the family of Bryan Louis Kercher must announce his passing on May 8, 2021. Bryan, of Hamilton, Montana, lost his life while descending from the summit of Sugarloaf Peak in the Bitterroot Mountains. He was 55.
❦ Family Message: "We will all remember him as a someone who lived his life fully, as a warm and generous friend, as a kind and loving partner, and a devoted son, father, and brother. In lieu of flowers, Eric and Sarah ask for donations to the American Cancer Society in Bryan's name."
❦ Survived By: His children, Eric and Sarah; his parents, Leroy and Helga Kercher; his brother, John Kercher; and sister, Holly Kercher Choate. He will also be remembered by former spouses, Lisa and Stacey; by his partner, Rachel; and by so many extended family members, friends, and colleagues that they cannot be listed here.
❦ Celebration of Life: Lindy and Susan Hardman residence
❦ Location: 500 Lovers Lane | Hamilton, Montana
❦ Arrangements: Daly-Leach Memorial Chapel
❦ Obituary: © 2021 | Daly-Leach Chapel
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bryan Kercher was also a dedicated Find a Grave contributor and research buddy of mine. I will miss him. Please see his Find a Grave contributions and profile here.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bitterroot Valley Climber Dies in Accident
A well-known Bitterroot Valley climber and outdoorsman died Saturday after falling about 1,000 feet down a steep, ice-covered slope.
Bryan Louis Kercher, 55, was with a group of climbers descending from Sugarloaf Peak southwest of Darby when temperatures dropped significantly, which caused the ice on the mountainside to harden, according to Ravalli County Sheriff/Coroner Steve Holton.
The winds increased and covered the trail with loose snow, which made climbing conditions severe. Kercher slipped and began sliding down a steep slope before striking a large boulder. He sustained fatal injuries in the fall. The climbing party used an InReach emergency beacon to summon emergency services.
Ravalli County Search and Rescue responded that evening, but due to conditions on the mountain, they did not reach the scene until morning. Two Bear Air and Search and Rescue volunteers retrieved the body.
"It was one of those freak things that happen," Holton said. "It's really sad."
Holton and the Ravalli County Search and Rescue extend their condolences to Kercher's family and friends. Holton also thanked the volunteers and Two Bear Air for their expertise and assistance in the recovery effort.
The press release said backcountry recreationists are encouraged to be aware of and plan for rapidly changing weather conditions in mountains during the spring. People are encouraged to carry an emergency beacon to summon for help, as the climbers in this situation were able to do.
© Perry Backus | Ravalli Republic | Hamilton, Montana | Monday, 10 May 2021
Bryan Louis Kercher
1966 - 2021
❦ Early Life: Bryan was born January 25, 1966, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, to Leroy Francis and Helga Elfriede Apt Kercher. His family moved to Muncie, Indiana, where Bryan spent his childhood just being a regular kid: building forts in a nearby patch of woods, setting off firecrackers on the Fourth of July, playing ping-pong and pitch-and-catch, building model cars, slinging acorns with his wrist-rocket, collecting beer cans, riding his bike all over the place, and occasionally picking on his little brother.
❦ Bryan attended Northside High School in Muncie, where he worked hard to make the grade. He took special interest in advanced math courses, German (his mother's native tongue), and coding BASIC programs on a TRS-80. His efforts led to membership in the National Honor Society, all the while setting his clock-radio for 5:00 a.m in order to deliver the Muncie Morning Star (whether rain, sleet, or snow). It was in high school that Bryan discovered a lifelong love of running, and made some lifelong friends on Northside's cross-country team. On occasion, he and his friends were observed putting in ten-milers "just for fun".
❦ Life's Work | Service | Interests: Bryan was accepted into Purdue University College of Engineering. He liked the program so much that he repeated some courses just so that he could extend the experience an extra year. While earning his degree in electrical engineering, Bryan learned how to flip burgers at Steak 'n Shake, ride a motorcycle, and talk to girls. He joined Purdue's crew team, rowing until blisters covered both palms, literally. His contributions to the team allowed him to travel around the country with his teammates, compete at the varsity level, and see what the United States looked like beyond the cornfields of Indiana. Bryan met his future wife, Lisa Ann Labadie, while rowing for Purdue, and upon graduation, were married August 31, 1991, in Terre Haute. The two of them started their lives together in Muncie, where Bryan was hired by ABB to assist in the design of large power transformers.
❦ Bryan appeared to be on a fairly typical path through life, as careers took Bryan and Lisa first to St. Louis, Missouri, where their son, Eric Michael, was born in 1994, and then to Houston, Texas, where their daughter, Sarah Anne, was born in 1998. In late 2001, opportunities for advancement brought the Kercher family to Hamilton, Montana. There in the Bitterroot Valley, Bryan embraced his role as both soccer dad and Taekwondo dad. He also took on the role of Scout leader for his son's troop, where for many years, he helped the Scouts explore the wilderness, earn their badges, and become self-reliant.
❦ Bryan and Lisa eventually parted ways. He found employment as an engineering tech at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, where really big-brained, hard-working people try to protect us all from the next killer contagion. There, Bryan met his second wife, Stacey, through her mom (a coworker at RML) and the two were married in 2010. Although the two eventually parted ways as well, they remained close friends. Recently, Bryan met his partner, Rachel, who somehow managed to see through a weathered exterior and recognize the goodness inside. They were on a good path together.
Bryan had many interests and passions. He was a bit of a genealogy nut (a term used with great affection), who could spend hours tracking down relations and events, take time off to comb through great family history archives at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, and contribute research to genealogy books written by other authors. He loved riding his motorcycle, having taken the pilgrimage to Sturgis and many other rides with his biker friends (and not without a couple spills along the way). He loved photography (especially with real, actual cameras), as is evident on social media. His love of running continued; he ran many marathons, a few cross-country ultra-marathons, and had his eye on one more ultra-marathon later in 2021.
❦ Above all those interests, though, was his passion for the wilderness. Glacier National Park was quite possibly his favorite place on Earth. The miles he hiked and the summits he climbed in those mountains can't be accurately counted. More important to him than his list of summits were the people he adventured with…whether occasional hiking partners or fellow members of the mountaineering clubs that he belonged to, the Rocky Mountaineers and the Glacier Mountaineering Society. Bryan seemed to be able to make friends with just about anyone he met, learn from their experiences, and make them laugh once or twice (also evident in social media). He also loved pretty much the entire Colorado Plateau. He took many trips deep into its canyons, exploring its arches and waterfalls, hunting for ruins and rock art, camping in the boondocks, and cooking up not-so-delicious freeze-dried camp food (and later on, inevitably repeating the line "Put that in your book!").
❦ Some other accomplishments he was surely proud of: beating kidney cancer, fending off a charging grizzly sow while simultaneously avoiding a slip into Iceberg Lake, backpacking in and out of the Grand Canyon, completing the Grand Teton loop, a trip with his daughter to explore Olympic Peninsula, guiding his parents and siblings around the magnificence of Glacier, completing Ride Across Indiana with his dad, scaring away a herd of cows that were pooping all over his designated campsite along the upper Missouri River with a noise that no human should be able to make, his radio call sign "Burger King", "Bry-Tunes", summiting Mt. Rainier, attempting Denali, learning how to ice climb, and visiting pictographs all over red rock country.
❦ None of these matched the pride he felt for what his son and daughter have already accomplished, and how much further he believed they would go. It is with great sorrow that the family of Bryan Louis Kercher must announce his passing on May 8, 2021. Bryan, of Hamilton, Montana, lost his life while descending from the summit of Sugarloaf Peak in the Bitterroot Mountains. He was 55.
❦ Family Message: "We will all remember him as a someone who lived his life fully, as a warm and generous friend, as a kind and loving partner, and a devoted son, father, and brother. In lieu of flowers, Eric and Sarah ask for donations to the American Cancer Society in Bryan's name."
❦ Survived By: His children, Eric and Sarah; his parents, Leroy and Helga Kercher; his brother, John Kercher; and sister, Holly Kercher Choate. He will also be remembered by former spouses, Lisa and Stacey; by his partner, Rachel; and by so many extended family members, friends, and colleagues that they cannot be listed here.
❦ Celebration of Life: Lindy and Susan Hardman residence
❦ Location: 500 Lovers Lane | Hamilton, Montana
❦ Arrangements: Daly-Leach Memorial Chapel
❦ Obituary: © 2021 | Daly-Leach Chapel
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bryan Kercher was also a dedicated Find a Grave contributor and research buddy of mine. I will miss him. Please see his Find a Grave contributions and profile here.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bitterroot Valley Climber Dies in Accident
A well-known Bitterroot Valley climber and outdoorsman died Saturday after falling about 1,000 feet down a steep, ice-covered slope.
Bryan Louis Kercher, 55, was with a group of climbers descending from Sugarloaf Peak southwest of Darby when temperatures dropped significantly, which caused the ice on the mountainside to harden, according to Ravalli County Sheriff/Coroner Steve Holton.
The winds increased and covered the trail with loose snow, which made climbing conditions severe. Kercher slipped and began sliding down a steep slope before striking a large boulder. He sustained fatal injuries in the fall. The climbing party used an InReach emergency beacon to summon emergency services.
Ravalli County Search and Rescue responded that evening, but due to conditions on the mountain, they did not reach the scene until morning. Two Bear Air and Search and Rescue volunteers retrieved the body.
"It was one of those freak things that happen," Holton said. "It's really sad."
Holton and the Ravalli County Search and Rescue extend their condolences to Kercher's family and friends. Holton also thanked the volunteers and Two Bear Air for their expertise and assistance in the recovery effort.
The press release said backcountry recreationists are encouraged to be aware of and plan for rapidly changing weather conditions in mountains during the spring. People are encouraged to carry an emergency beacon to summon for help, as the climbers in this situation were able to do.
© Perry Backus | Ravalli Republic | Hamilton, Montana | Monday, 10 May 2021
1966 - 2021
❦ Early Life: Bryan was born January 25, 1966, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, to Leroy Francis and Helga Elfriede Apt Kercher. His family moved to Muncie, Indiana, where Bryan spent his childhood just being a regular kid: building forts in a nearby patch of woods, setting off firecrackers on the Fourth of July, playing ping-pong and pitch-and-catch, building model cars, slinging acorns with his wrist-rocket, collecting beer cans, riding his bike all over the place, and occasionally picking on his little brother.
❦ Bryan attended Northside High School in Muncie, where he worked hard to make the grade. He took special interest in advanced math courses, German (his mother's native tongue), and coding BASIC programs on a TRS-80. His efforts led to membership in the National Honor Society, all the while setting his clock-radio for 5:00 a.m in order to deliver the Muncie Morning Star (whether rain, sleet, or snow). It was in high school that Bryan discovered a lifelong love of running, and made some lifelong friends on Northside's cross-country team. On occasion, he and his friends were observed putting in ten-milers "just for fun".
❦ Life's Work | Service | Interests: Bryan was accepted into Purdue University College of Engineering. He liked the program so much that he repeated some courses just so that he could extend the experience an extra year. While earning his degree in electrical engineering, Bryan learned how to flip burgers at Steak 'n Shake, ride a motorcycle, and talk to girls. He joined Purdue's crew team, rowing until blisters covered both palms, literally. His contributions to the team allowed him to travel around the country with his teammates, compete at the varsity level, and see what the United States looked like beyond the cornfields of Indiana. Bryan met his future wife, Lisa Ann Labadie, while rowing for Purdue, and upon graduation, were married August 31, 1991, in Terre Haute. The two of them started their lives together in Muncie, where Bryan was hired by ABB to assist in the design of large power transformers.
❦ Bryan appeared to be on a fairly typical path through life, as careers took Bryan and Lisa first to St. Louis, Missouri, where their son, Eric Michael, was born in 1994, and then to Houston, Texas, where their daughter, Sarah Anne, was born in 1998. In late 2001, opportunities for advancement brought the Kercher family to Hamilton, Montana. There in the Bitterroot Valley, Bryan embraced his role as both soccer dad and Taekwondo dad. He also took on the role of Scout leader for his son's troop, where for many years, he helped the Scouts explore the wilderness, earn their badges, and become self-reliant.
❦ Bryan and Lisa eventually parted ways. He found employment as an engineering tech at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, where really big-brained, hard-working people try to protect us all from the next killer contagion. There, Bryan met his second wife, Stacey, through her mom (a coworker at RML) and the two were married in 2010. Although the two eventually parted ways as well, they remained close friends. Recently, Bryan met his partner, Rachel, who somehow managed to see through a weathered exterior and recognize the goodness inside. They were on a good path together.
Bryan had many interests and passions. He was a bit of a genealogy nut (a term used with great affection), who could spend hours tracking down relations and events, take time off to comb through great family history archives at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, and contribute research to genealogy books written by other authors. He loved riding his motorcycle, having taken the pilgrimage to Sturgis and many other rides with his biker friends (and not without a couple spills along the way). He loved photography (especially with real, actual cameras), as is evident on social media. His love of running continued; he ran many marathons, a few cross-country ultra-marathons, and had his eye on one more ultra-marathon later in 2021.
❦ Above all those interests, though, was his passion for the wilderness. Glacier National Park was quite possibly his favorite place on Earth. The miles he hiked and the summits he climbed in those mountains can't be accurately counted. More important to him than his list of summits were the people he adventured with…whether occasional hiking partners or fellow members of the mountaineering clubs that he belonged to, the Rocky Mountaineers and the Glacier Mountaineering Society. Bryan seemed to be able to make friends with just about anyone he met, learn from their experiences, and make them laugh once or twice (also evident in social media). He also loved pretty much the entire Colorado Plateau. He took many trips deep into its canyons, exploring its arches and waterfalls, hunting for ruins and rock art, camping in the boondocks, and cooking up not-so-delicious freeze-dried camp food (and later on, inevitably repeating the line "Put that in your book!").
❦ Some other accomplishments he was surely proud of: beating kidney cancer, fending off a charging grizzly sow while simultaneously avoiding a slip into Iceberg Lake, backpacking in and out of the Grand Canyon, completing the Grand Teton loop, a trip with his daughter to explore Olympic Peninsula, guiding his parents and siblings around the magnificence of Glacier, completing Ride Across Indiana with his dad, scaring away a herd of cows that were pooping all over his designated campsite along the upper Missouri River with a noise that no human should be able to make, his radio call sign "Burger King", "Bry-Tunes", summiting Mt. Rainier, attempting Denali, learning how to ice climb, and visiting pictographs all over red rock country.
❦ None of these matched the pride he felt for what his son and daughter have already accomplished, and how much further he believed they would go. It is with great sorrow that the family of Bryan Louis Kercher must announce his passing on May 8, 2021. Bryan, of Hamilton, Montana, lost his life while descending from the summit of Sugarloaf Peak in the Bitterroot Mountains. He was 55.
❦ Family Message: "We will all remember him as a someone who lived his life fully, as a warm and generous friend, as a kind and loving partner, and a devoted son, father, and brother. In lieu of flowers, Eric and Sarah ask for donations to the American Cancer Society in Bryan's name."
❦ Survived By: His children, Eric and Sarah; his parents, Leroy and Helga Kercher; his brother, John Kercher; and sister, Holly Kercher Choate. He will also be remembered by former spouses, Lisa and Stacey; by his partner, Rachel; and by so many extended family members, friends, and colleagues that they cannot be listed here.
❦ Celebration of Life: Lindy and Susan Hardman residence
❦ Location: 500 Lovers Lane | Hamilton, Montana
❦ Arrangements: Daly-Leach Memorial Chapel
❦ Obituary: © 2021 | Daly-Leach Chapel
Bio compiled by: Annie Duckett Hundley
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bryan Kercher was also a dedicated Find a Grave contributor and research buddy of mine. I will miss him. Please see his Find a Grave contributions and profile here.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bitterroot Valley Climber Dies in Accident
A well-known Bitterroot Valley climber and outdoorsman died Saturday after falling about 1,000 feet down a steep, ice-covered slope.
Bryan Louis Kercher, 55, was with a group of climbers descending from Sugarloaf Peak southwest of Darby when temperatures dropped significantly, which caused the ice on the mountainside to harden, according to Ravalli County Sheriff/Coroner Steve Holton.
The winds increased and covered the trail with loose snow, which made climbing conditions severe. Kercher slipped and began sliding down a steep slope before striking a large boulder. He sustained fatal injuries in the fall. The climbing party used an InReach emergency beacon to summon emergency services.
Ravalli County Search and Rescue responded that evening, but due to conditions on the mountain, they did not reach the scene until morning. Two Bear Air and Search and Rescue volunteers retrieved the body.
"It was one of those freak things that happen," Holton said. "It's really sad."
Holton and the Ravalli County Search and Rescue extend their condolences to Kercher's family and friends. Holton also thanked the volunteers and Two Bear Air for their expertise and assistance in the recovery effort.
The press release said backcountry recreationists are encouraged to be aware of and plan for rapidly changing weather conditions in mountains during the spring. People are encouraged to carry an emergency beacon to summon for help, as the climbers in this situation were able to do.
© Perry Backus | Ravalli Republic | Hamilton, Montana | Monday, 10 May 2021
