December 15, 1989 – November 9, 2025
Ciarra Bristol was born on Dec. 15, 1989 in Glenwood Springs. She lived and attended school in Carbondale and graduated from Roaring Fork High School in 2008. She attended Fort Lewis College in Durango and graduated with an art business degree. After college, her husband, Marlin Boyer, started Durango Shade Company, and they worked together building the business.
Marlin and Ciarra met in college in 2011 and their love grew into a strong and loving partnership. They married in 2017 and welcomed their son Summit in 2018. When Summit was only 10 months old, Ciarra was diagnosed with leukemia. She wanted nothing more than to be able to raise her son. For the next six years she fought, determined to do just that. She was a wonderful mom, and gave everything she had fighting a very hard battle with bravery, strength and grace right up until the end. On Nov. 9, 2025 she passed away in Durango.
Ciarra was bright, sassy and fun-loving. It was pretty easy to smile when Ciarra was around. Her sparkling blue eyes and beautiful smile lit up a room. She was strong, spunky and loving. When getting her cancer treatment, she could be seen dancing with her IV pole, howling in the hospital hall during COVID and even had the nurses singing with her while getting her chemo.
She’d probably say her wish was to make the world a better place. There were many things she cared deeply about. She was an animal lover at heart, especially dogs. She adopted, rescued and fostered many dogs while living in Durango. The environment was also something she really advocated for. Always an artist, she enjoyed painting with watercolors. Another of her passions was gardening. In the middle of her battle with leukemia, she started a flower farm and loved nurturing her plants and watching them blossom.
She had many friends from Carbondale and Durango and loved spending time with them and her family. Besides being with her family, her heart was happiest outdoors, surrounded by Mother Nature’s magic, with the sun on her face. She enjoyed paddle boarding, traveling, camping, hiking and playing with Summit, Marlin and their dogs.
There will be a celebration of life next summer by her flower garden. Her favorite charities are Blood Cancer United (www.bloodcancerunited.org) and Small Choices (www.smallchoicesfoundation.org) if you feel inclined to make a memorial donation.