Wes Pixler Passed from This Life into Glory

Michele & Wes Parish-Pixler, August 2, 1975
School of Theology, Claremont, California

Wes Pixler passed away Wednesday morning, a heart attack.  He turned 60 Easter week.  Services will be held this Saturday, May 21, at Heart of the Rockies Disciples of Christ Church at the corner of Trilby & Lemay in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Wes was the husband of my youth and the father of my children, Mary Abilene Parish-Pixler Cunningham and Rebekah Lynne Parish-Pixler Griffith. We were married 15 years, when he was known as the Rev. Dr. Wesley B. Parish-Pixler.

Parish-Pixler Family, Akron, Colorado 

We attended the School of Theology at Claremont (California) together, and served churches in Colorado and Utah as a team for 15 years    We assisted at est and Landmark together.  Our children were the delight of our lives.  We supported the Hunger Project and other hunger relief missions.

We parted in 1991.  I headed for exciting years with the National Women's Political Caucus in Washington DC during the Clinton administration. Wes became Wes Pixler again, continued in the ministry and soon  married Denise, who promised to be my partner in raising Abi and Rebekah along with her children, Shawna and Russell.  Among us we have had a successful divorce, and a Christian one, with frequent celebrations of family events and holidays over the past 20 years.

This past Christmas Eve, Wes and Denise and Wes’s father Paul, our daughters and their spouses, my in-laws Keith and Mary, and Jesse’s sister and husband  Lola and Silviano, joined Jesse and me for supper in my apartment and the candle-light service at the church.  It is hard to grasp that we’ve had our final Christmas all together.

Jesse and I visited with Wes briefly on the day before our trip, last Saturday. Wes was happy,  his pain and medication levels under control, a miracle after years of pain.  He was anticipating increased mobility and participation in life thanks to his recent surgery, possibly new legs, driving his car, getting out and about.  He told Jesse he was happy for us and wished us well in our future marriage.

The following Saturday night, May 7,  it seems Wes had a heart attack and slipped into a coma. The past few days while we’ve been on the road the girls have called with updates.  Now Wes is gone.  

Denise, gracious as always, has delayed the memorial service until May 21, waiting for all the out-of-town family to gather.

If you have photos or memories to share, please do.  Regardless of when you knew Wes, you are welcome to come to the memorial service this Saturday.  In lieu of flowers contributions to the Amputee Coalition would be as Wes wished (http://www.amputee-coalition.org/).