Richard Franklin Kutz

He was born August 12, 1956, in Quantico, Virginia to Richard Earl and Audra Dea Kutz. He is survived by his sister Diana Kutz of Albuquerque and his cousins Ellen (Bob) Wehofer and Judy (Steve) O’Mara and their families of Chicago.

As the son in a Marine Corps family, he lived many places across the United States while growing up. It fostered a life-long interest in historical sites and in hiking the great outdoors. He spent much time enjoying those pursuits anywhere he visited, and even more frequently in areas he lived in, especially in his beloved Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona.

I know there are places that I won’t go to and will never even know about now, because it was Richard who always did the research. When he had an interest, he was all in, driven by curiosity and the desire to know more. Never one to just catch the highlights, he wanted to know as much as he could and frequently knew more about the history and remote byways of places he visited than their life-long residents did.

With an insatiable curiosity about how things work, an analytical and logical approach to problems of any kind, a keen eye for details and a preference for structure in work and in his life, it is no surprise that he became an engineer. He had a bachelor’s in civil engineering from Montana State University and later a master’s in the same field specializing in fluid mechanics and wind engineering from Colorado State University. Richard maintained his license as a Professional Engineer in Colorado for 43 years, while spending most of his career as an application developer, software engineer or team lead for engineering and technical applications. He started his career while still in high school, working as a programmer at Montana State University’s Agricultural Experiment Station. He later worked for the Bureau of Reclamation, Chevron, Black & Veatch, and Hach among others. He retired in November of 2022 from Ansys.

He was passionate about his interests, which included history, politics, philosophy, archaeology, and art. From the time he was a very young child, he was an avid collector of many things - coins, stamps, engravings, minerals and antique books among them.

Richard had a dry and wickedly sharp sense of humor, many times pointed at himself and oftentimes, only expressed among those he knew well. He was never comfortable in larger-scale social situations but instead built deep relationships that started with one-on-one conversations on topics meaningful to him. He was nothing if not achingly and at times awkwardly authentic. He usually garnered respect, even from those who disagreed with him, because of his intense commitment to acting according to what he thought was right, even when it was neither convenient nor popular. He was generally reserved and reticent and had a kind and generous spirit.

He was baptized in 1977 and maintained his Christian faith ever after. In accordance with his wishes, he will be cremated at Resthaven Memory Gardens and Cremation in Fort Collins, and no service will be held. We are not requesting donations for specific organizations but ask only that you hold him gently in your memory.

He will be missed. His struggles are now over. May his soul rest in love and light.

These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33