William "Willy" Frownfelter III

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In Loving Memory of
William "Willy" Frownfelter III

July 10, 1994 – March 14, 2026

Welcome to the digital memorial for Willy. Whether you knew him as a fierce competitor on the ice, a talented artist, an adventurous traveler, an amazing brother, or the world's best uncle, Willy left an unforgettable mark on all of our lives.

We have created this space to celebrate his vibrant spirit, his tremendous thirst for knowledge, and the boundless love he shared with us. As we prepare for his Celebration of Life later this year, we invite you to help us build a living archive of Willy’s legacy. Please explore his story below and contribute your own memories to help us remember the "Master of All Trades" we loved so dearly.

Remembering Willy

William "Willy" Frownfelter III passed away suddenly on Saturday night, March 14, 2026, near Durango, Colorado.

Born in Montrose, Colorado, on July 10, 1994, Willy spent his first 15 years growing up in Telluride before moving to Durango, where he graduated from high school in 2013.

A natural athlete and a respected team leader, Willy’s presence was always felt on the ice, the field, and the court throughout his life. While in school in Telluride, he was selected to play on the Colorado Select Hockey Team in Canada in 2005 and proudly led the Telluride Bantam Youth Hockey team to the State Final Four in 2008. In high school, he lettered in both soccer and basketball. His love for sports continued into adulthood; he was a passionate skier—planning to compete in national extreme skiing competitions until a broken leg sidelined him early in the 2025-2026 season—and he loved golfing with friends and playing in local amateur basketball and hockey leagues.

Willy’s true love in life, however, was his art. Often working in the art trade, he was known as a “Master of All Trades” with a tremendous, lifelong thirst for knowledge. In recent years, his adventurous spirit took him traveling with Willy’s Tree Nets, with memorable trips to California, Hawaii, and Belize, and he was eagerly looking forward to upcoming "work" travels to Greece, Croatia, and Morocco.

Above all of his talents and adventures, Willy was an absolutely amazing brother and an adored uncle. His vibrant spirit, fierce loyalty, and boundless love will be tremendously missed by his brother, Jake Bush; his sister, Caitlin Bush; and the nieces and nephew who each held a uniquely special place in his heart: his favorite oldest niece, Rylee Bush; favorite second-oldest niece, Kyli Brandt; favorite youngest niece, Stevie Bush; and his favorite nephew, Leif Brandt.

Willy is also survived by his mother, Sally Jones of Montrose; his father, “Frowny” Frownfelter, and step-mother, Teresa Offutt of Durango; his grandmother, Dorothy Williamson of Wyomissing, PA; his girlfriend, Abby Orosz of Durango; his cherished cats, Dep and Shadow, whom he loved so much; and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held later this spring or early summer, with details to be announced at a later date on this website.

Stories & Condolences