Nathan David Wirebaugh

Nathan David Wirebaugh of Orlando, Florida, passed away on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at the age of 32. Nathan was born at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, Ohio on May 1, 1990 to his adoring parents, Bobbi and Jeffrey Wirebaugh. He spent most of his awesome and carefree childhood in Holland, OH growing up with his dear sister, Caitlyn, whom he lovingly referred to as “Bug.” He was fortunate to grow up near most of his extended family, and especially treasured his grandmotherly relationship with his aunt Marian “Ninny” Crayne. He loved vacationing at Disney World and National Parks with his family, and he had great (and blister-filled) memories of Boy Scouts hikes with his dad. Video games fed his endless imagination, and he was always a sweet and inquisitive individual.

Nathan attended Toledo Christian Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, where he graduated in 2009. He was a member of the band and a talented cross country student athlete. He made countless good friends and memories while running thousands of miles around the Toledo area. He even ran two marathons! Nathan still reminisced almost daily of his happy and hilarious memories from TCS XC days, and was fortunate to speak to and see his high school friends multiple times a week (if not daily). Nathan was phenomenal at keeping in touch with friends and making his loved ones feel important.

It was at TCS in 2005 that Nathan met the love of his life and best friend, Erika Spudie. Nathan was immediately attracted to the new redheaded girl at school, but God knew they needed a few years to grow their friendship before they became a couple. They shared 17 incredible, adventure-filled years as friends and 13 as romantic partners, 6 of which were as husband and wife. The two were married on July 23, 2016 in Toledo. They are expecting their first child, a boy, at the end of June. Nathan picked his son's name. Although he will never hold his son in his arms in this life, Nathan was already the best dad there could possibly be. He spoke to Erika daily about the reasons he was excited about being a father and how he planned on being the best. He dreamed of reading, going to rocket launches, cooking, traveling, and watching soccer with his son. Nathan’s close friends know that he was an idealist; he was delighted to be exerting a positive influence on the next generation of humanity. He has already achieved that goal with the legacy that he leaves behind.

Nathan graduated from Cedarville University in 2013 with a degree in History and minors in Public Policy and Bible. His semester spent in Washington, DC in the fall of 2012 ignited his passion for politics and policy, as well as the city of Washington. He loved to run through the monuments and spend time watching Manchester City at the Lucky Bar with the Capital City Blues, of which he was an original member. He spent about 8 years in the DC area. Through several internships and jobs in the capital, he found his professional place in the research and development arena, refining his skills at the Leadership Institute and AC Fitzgerald and Associates. When he and Erika moved to Florida in 2021, he began working for the University of Florida Foundation. He was a talented Prospect Research Analyst and even better coworker. He was proud to work for a top-5 ranked university and looked forward to sharpening his skills in development.

Nathan was a passionate man and had countless interests. The weekend before his passing, he and Erika emotionally cheered on Manchester City to a dramatic final day capturing of the Premier League title. There was so much screaming and lots of happy tears in his eyes. He was curious about the world and loved to explore outside, especially in Orlando; tropical plants and unique houses around the city brought him immense joy. His balcony garden gave him another fun way to interact with nature. His daily walks were also a great way to catch Pokemon on the Pokemon Go app, which he still played daily with friends. He rarely missed a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center, which he watched from his apartment rooftop with his super zoom binoculars. He was truly happiest when he was with his many friends, laughing, drinking beer, and usually arguing and playing devil’s advocate. He loved to challenge people and encourage them to consider new ways of looking at the world. Although he grew up with dogs and still maintained that he was actually a “dog person,” he adored spending every day at home with his beloved cats, Ardwick and Paprika. He built them elaborate box forts and made sure they were provided with constant stimulation and love. He and Erika fostered several cats and kittens during their 4.5 years together in DC, and he loved playing and getting to know his foster cats’ personalities. An adventurer at heart, Nathan loved to visit new places. He and Erika took the trip of a lifetime to Europe in 2018, where they traveled around England and France to explore and catch 3 Manchester City matches. He especially adored Lyon, France, and the delicious food they ate there. It inspired him to pick up cooking, and he loved picking out recipes from his Rustic French cookbook. Nathan had a vast imagination, and truly inspired his wife, family, and friends to explore the world.

Nathan held a strong belief in God’s unshakable plan for the world, and found peace in accepting that plan. He was confident in the eternal life he had to look forward to through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His faith led him to live in the moment and not take life too seriously, because he believed our deaths are all inevitable. He also found solace in Stoic wisdom, and this quote from Epictetus perfectly summarized his feelings: "I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it." Nathan celebrated every day he had through exploration. He knew God would call him home when it was time. Although we are heartbroken at the circumstances of his death and his absence on this earth, his family is confident he wanted his life celebrated with joy and laughter, not sadness and tears.

Nathan is survived by his devoted wife, Erika, and his son, who is due at the end of June 2022. He is survived by his loving parents, Jeff and Bobbi Wirebaugh; sister Caitlyn; several aunts, uncles, and cousins; adoring family in-law, Bob, Annette, and Alexa Spudie; close friends, including Steve Lane, Ben & McKenzie Shepler, Josiah Bragg, Rob Hahn, Anthony Althauser, Hilary Hackleman, his Orlando family, and countless others (too many to be named, but all treasured parts of his chosen family).

A brief visitation and viewing is to be held at Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home at Chapel Hill (2420 Harrell Rd, Orlando, FL 32817) on Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 11am-12:45pm, followed by a brief graveside service at the same location at 1pm. Family and friends are invited to a grand Celebration of Life following the burial. Information and RSVP for the celebration can be found at www.eventcreate.com/e/nathanwirebaugh.