EVERETT — A local pastor died over the weekend while on a hiking trip in Colorado, the Northwest Washington Synod said on Facebook.
Jeremy Fuerst was a pastor at the Central Lutheran Church in Everett. His bio on the church’s website says he “can be found hiking, riding his bike, attempting to climb Mt. Rainier (though never quite summitting), or hoisting a pint of craft beer.”
Before coming to Everett in late 2015, he served as associate pastor at a church in Omaha, Nebraska, and as a youth minister in Utah. His wife, Shannyn, is also a pastor, at Faith Lutheran Church in Seattle.
“We are grateful for his smile, his sense of humor, his curiosity, his love of the outdoors, his faithfulness, and so much more,” Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee wrote in the synod’s social media post. “We are grateful to have known him. We pray for those who grieve — we especially remember his wife Shannyn, his parents, his brothers, his extended family, friends, the beloved folks at Central Lutheran, and all others who mourn.”
Fuerst, 44, was spotted by emergency responders around 1 p.m. Saturday about 300 feet below two mountain summits in Colorado, the Custer County Search and Rescue team said on Facebook. The team said the climber appeared to have fallen and died. His body was recovered Sunday.
Custer County Search and Rescue said he was well-prepared with a satellite phone and was an experienced climber. It wasn’t clear how he fell.
The search-and-rescue team did not identify Fuerst.
The synod said it will soon have information on a memorial service for Fuerst. Condolences can be sent to Shannyn Fuerst at Faith Lutheran Church at 8208 18th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet.
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