Justin D. Field

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.

Obituary

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Justin Douglas Field, 35, of Denver, Colorado, on September 19, 2026. Justin was doing what he loved most – spending time in the mountains – when he passed away in a hiking accident in the West Elk Wilderness of the Gunnison National Forest. Justin touched countless lives with his spirit, heart, passion and humor. The world has lost an extraordinary soul.
     Justin was born June 13, 1991, to Tom Field and Lisa Bard in Fort Collins, Colorado. From the start, he was a force of nature – curious, intense and passionate about anything and everything that captured his interest. He was spirited and lively, lived life “large” and continually worked to become the best version of himself.
    Justin showed many talents from an early age. His lifelong love of music and the performing arts reflected a passion he shared with his Grandma Mary. He played the drums, sang in school choirs and performed in school theatre productions. As an adult, he remained an enthusiastic supporter of the performing arts. He also participated in wrestling, Boy Scouts and 4-H as a youth and excelled academically.
     Justin graduated from the University of Denver in 2013 with a degree in English and Creative Writing. Upon graduation, he joined Teach for America and taught English at Harrison High School in Colorado Springs for two years. After completing his commitment to Teach for America, he built a career in human resources and earned the Senior Professional in Human Resources designation. He viewed his work as a way to help people grow, develop and excel professionally in healthy, rewarding ways.
     Justin met the love of his life, Melissa DeWitt, in 2014 while they were both living and working in Colorado Springs. They later moved to Denver, married in 2020 and built a life filled with joy, community, family and shared experiences.
     Justin introduced Melissa to his love of skiing, and within a few seasons, she was tearing up the mountains alongside him. Melissa shared her love of softball and other sports with Justin. They played recreational softball with friends and enjoyed attending a wide variety of sporting events. Their many shared passions also included camping, the outdoors and mountains, music, travel, festivals, movies, fashion, literature, games, fantasy football, gardening, Renaissance Festivals, pirate festivals, collecting oddities and their beloved dogs, Jack and Jim. From the day they met, Melissa brought light, love, laughter, stability and peace to Justin’s life. She was the center of his universe.
     Above all, family was the most important thing to Justin, and he was fiercely loyal to those he loved. From childhood, he shared an unquestioned and enduring devotion to his brothers Sean and Trae. When his younger siblings, Coleman and Kate, were born, that circle of devotion grew.
     Justin, Sean and Trae formed a triad whose bond deepened over the years through life changes, growing pains, difficult times, loss, miles apart and different paths. His family circle expanded to include Sean’s wife, Megan; Trae’s wife, Shayna; Melissa’s sister, Kayla, and her husband, Zack; and Melissa’s brother, Nathan, and his wife, Kristin. He and Melissa also shared a special bond with his cousin Talia, forged through years of Denver-area adventures and living together post college. 
     Justin adored his four nieces, and they adored him. He was eagerly awaiting the birth of a fifth niece in October. He was also a devoted son who loved his parents, their partners and his in-laws deeply and graciously.
     He was a deeply passionate and supportive friend. He considered his friendships integral to who he was as a person and strived to nurture and maintain them. His friendship circles spanned across all his interests and pursuits from fraternity friendships to recreational sports, skiing, Dungeons and Dragons, teaching, fantasy sports, work colleagues, and even a few librarians and nurses. Those who were lucky to consider Justin a friend know that his friendship meant endless jokes, adventures, and a whole lot of talking smack. 
     Justin loved the outdoors. Skiing was his biggest passion, though he also enjoyed hiking, backpacking and camping throughout the Colorado Rockies. He explored many of Colorado’s wilderness and public-land areas with family and friends and became an experienced backcountry adventurer. He especially loved the Gunnison area, where he spent considerable time at the Field family’s multigenerational Field Land and Cattle Company ranch in Parlin.
     While recovering from a torn ACL, Justin discovered birding and quickly fell in love with it. He became a frequent volunteer with Denver Audubon, leading tours and sharing his knowledge of the region’s native birds, their habitats and the vital role they play in the natural environment. He documented the birds he encountered in a journal, filling its pages with observations, sketches and detailed illustrations.
     Justin was a man of unfiltered honesty and integrity – with himself and with others. He was deeply self-reflective and self-aware, qualities that required both honesty and courage. He was a passionate advocate for mental health and for people who were marginalized, less fortunate, outcast or lonely. He also strongly believed in individualism, personal responsibility, personal choice and democracy. He sought to understand the perspectives and beliefs of others while steadfastly defending and living according to his own convictions.
     Justin loved a good board game or lawn game and brought the FUN to every gathering. He laughed often and loudly. He was all in or not at all and was ready for almost any adventure. He was generous with his time, talents, possessions and opinions, and he never backed away from a thoughtful intellectual debate. An avid reader and researcher, Justin could discuss nearly any subject because of his vast and eclectic knowledge of “stuff.”
     All these qualities came together in Justin’s larger-than-life personality – honest, passionate, exuberant, curious, courageous and loyal. He will be profoundly missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

     Justin is survived by his wife, Melissa DeWitt; his parents, Tom (Laura) Field and Lisa Bard (Mark Steele); his siblings, Sean (Megan) Field, Trae (Shayna) Field, Coleman Field and Kate Field; his father-in-law, Jeff DeWitt; his mother-in-law, Susan DeWitt; his sister-in-law, Kayla (Zack) Brown; his brother-in-law, Nathan (Kristin) DeWitt; his nieces, Lily Brown, Brielle Field, Juniper Brown and Rylee Field; his grandmother, Nancy Bard; and many beloved aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Douglas N. Bard, Fred R. Field and Mary Esther Field.

     The family expresses their gratitude to the West Elk Mountain Rescue Team and Gunnison County’s Backcountry Search and Rescue program for their skill, compassion and efforts in recovering Justin. 

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