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Silverthorne council member Jonathan Bird dies

Silverthorne councilman and resident of 22 years, Jonathan Bird died on April 15, eliciting an outpouring of support across the town and on social media.

On April 17, the town of Silverthorne announced through its Facebook page that Bird, a councilman since 2014, had died earlier in the week. The post did not include the cause of death.

Bird was 49 years old.

“On behalf of the Silverthorne Town Council, the town employees and the entire Silverthorne community, we are profoundly saddened by the loss of Councilman Jonathan Bird,” Mayor Bruce Butler wrote in the Facebook post. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. He will be greatly missed, and we look forward to honoring his life and service to the citizens of Silverthorne.”

Bird, a native of Tennessee, will be buried in his home state. He leaves behind one son, Will, and his wife, Martha.

Bird owned Falcon Electric in Silverthorne and was serving his first term on the council. He was passionate about affordable housing issues, according to the post, and shortly after joining the council served on the Summit Combined Housing Authority board.

Bird was an avid fisherman and pilot. The post included a link to video of him flying a dual-prop airplane through the mountains between Summit County and Leadville, where his plane was hangared. It is one of nearly 20 videos he filmed using a wing-mounted camera. In 2013, he earned a spot on the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airmen Certification Database, a listing of pilots with exceptional educational, licensing and medical backgrounds.

Dozens of friends, relatives and others left condolences on Facebook. “Jon, you were a true gentleman, your knowledge and experiences always impressed me,” Nate York of Keystone wrote. “I learned something from you every time we shared a project. You will always be remembered as a character full of smiling life. Rest in peace, brother.”

Arrangements are being made for a service next week in Tennessee. A local memorial service will be held on Monday, May 4, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Silverthorne Pavilion. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made online to the Bird Family Fund.


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