Carroll Lee Skiles, 79, passed away after a courageous battle of Spindle Cell Lipcarcoma cancer due to the exposure of Agent Orange on July 19, 2026, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, surrounded by his loved ones.

To know Lee was to know kindness in its purest form. He had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, heard, and valued. His easy smile, gentle humor, and unwavering steadiness brought comfort to those around him and he carried himself with a quiet humility that never asked for recognition. He embodied a simple truth: the strongest people are often the gentlest.

Lee never sought the spotlight. Instead, he built a life defined by generosity, integrity, and unwavering love for others. His kindness wasn’t reserved for life’s biggest moments; it was woven into the ordinary ones, the phone calls, the birthdays remembered, the helping hand offered without hesitation, and the countless small gestures that made people feel at home. Those everyday acts became the moments people would remember most.

Born on November 9, 1946 to Velma Delores Hassebrock & Leland Carrol “Cotton” Skiles, in Marshalltown, IA. Lee proudly served his country in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He later built a career in construction management that took him around the world before eventually making Colorado his home. While his work led him to places including Saudi Arabia, West Virginia, Guyana, California and Utah, it was never the destinations that defined him. It was the relationships he built and the lives he touched along the way. An avid adventurer, his favorite pastimes were skiing, golfing, hiking and traveling the world with his longtime loving partner Cynthia.

A cowboy at heart, Lee loved the traditions, values, and spirit of the American West. He was a devoted supporter of the National Western Stock Show and found joy in the community it celebrated: hard work, authenticity, and neighbors looking out for one another. Whether sharing stories, enjoying time outdoors, or simply spending an afternoon with family and friends, Lee found happiness in life’s simple pleasures.

Above all, Lee’s greatest joy was his family. He is survived by his beloved partner, Cynthia Saer; his daughters, Nook (Ap Boonkrataung) and Kimberly (Rob Tomsick); his siblings, Karen Eltringham (Joe, deceased) and Gary Skiles (Cindy); Cynthia’s daughters Irene & Audrey; and his cherished grandchildren, Katie, Andrew, Harvey, and Palmer. He is also lovingly remembered by many extended family members, lifelong friends, neighbors, and countless others whose lives are richer for having known him.

Lee’s life reminds us that the greatest legacy is not measured by accolades or accomplishments, but by the love we give, the kindness we extend, and the way we make others feel. His quiet strength, warm heart, and generous spirit will live on in the family who adored him, the friends who will miss him dearly, and the countless lives forever changed by his example.

A private funeral for family and close friends will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery where he will be laid to rest.

We would like to thank the nursing staff and doctors at UC Health Yampa Valley for their tender care for Lee in his last days.