Obituary of Rodney Alison Korich

Born in the red deserts of Wyoming and raised in Northern Indiana, Rodney Korich spent the rest of his life on roads less traveled, from Nepal to the Rocky Mountains, vigorously embracing all life had to offer and making countless forever friends along the way. Rodney Allison Korich died Tuesday, July 21, 2015 in Denver of complications from heart disease. He was 68. He was born Jan. 2, 1947 in Rock Springs, WY to Nick Rade Korich and Irene Anne Cushing Korich. He graduated from LaPorte High School in LaPorte, IN and went on to study at the University of Colorado. He married Kim Spangler and their daughter, Helene, was born in Kathmandu, Nepal. They later divorced. The first chapter of his adventurous life opened at age 24, when he went to Nepal to work as a high-altitude climbing expedition leader with noted filmmaker and adventurer David Breashears. From the mid-1970s to the 1980s, Rodney was a true "fixer" — the guy who could always make things happen, round up the equipment, or raise the money. He made lasting friendships with many Sherpa people, especially those from the village of Chyangba in the high Himalaya. He later worked as a contractor for the U.S. Department of State in Southeast and Southwest Asia. He eventually served as Commissary Manager for the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu. After two decades abroad, he settled in Colorado, where he became caretaker for the Gates Family Chateau in Evergreen for the last 26 years of his life. Rodney never lost his passion for Nepal. In 2013, he and Helene returned to trek to the Khumbu Trail toward Everest, with the final stop being Tengboche. In Colorado, he was a longtime, active member of the Neptune Mountaineering community in Boulder. He is survived by his daughter, Helene Spangler Korich, of New York; a brother, Timothy Korich of Seattle; and a sister, Nadine (Dee) Korich Hofmann of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Rodney was preceded in death by his parents. A private family gathering and public memorial service at Neptune Mountaineering have been held. Some of Rodney's ashes were spread at a beloved place in Colorado, with the remainder to be taken to Nepal. David Breashears is setting up a fund to accept donations in Rodney's name to help rebuild a school in the Sherpa village of Chyangba.