May 16, 1945 – September 2, 2026
William Frederick Pulver Jr. (who went simply by Fred), born May 16, 1945, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, at the age of 81 in his home in Carbondale, where he and his beloved wife, Dolores Pulver, raised a family of eight precocious children.
A longtime friend and local, Fred was deeply involved in the Carbondale lifestyle. He helped lay the foundation for the Hendrix community garden — Carbondale’s first community garden. As a member of the Orchard Church, he co-founded the church’s Good Seed Community Garden. Fred tended a plot at the Third Street Center Community Garden as well.
Hailing from the small towns of Lakeville, Connecticut, and Millerton, New York, Fred attended high school at Hotchkiss School and Housatonic Valley Regional High, and afterwards matriculated at Boston University (BU) to study pre-med. He enrolled in classes nearby at Harvard as well. His time in Boston led to a lifelong pursuit of holistic approaches to medicine, with the desire to help make health and wellness more accessible to all.
Though health and medicine were central interests, Fred’s deeper passions lay in the creative arts and humanities. He snuck film classes into his schedule at BU. He penned poems, lyrics and thoughts onto notepads and pieces of paper wherever he went. He was a troubadour in his own right, crafting and performing songs, even winning first place in a valley-wide songwriting contest. His literary inclinations also found a place at The Valley Journal (predecessor to The Sopris Sun) where he worked for a time.
Fred’s talents and interests knew no boundaries. He was a lover of nature and sustainability, a food philosophy teacher (especially in macrobiotics), an author and entrepreneur. He was one of the first to sell wellness products through the mail — an industry now known as e-commerce. His knack for all things electronic and mechanical led to his own business enterprise, Advanced Systems. He loved sharing his ideas and discoveries with his family, friends and community.
Shaped by the 1960s, Fred was emblematic of a generation that craved a return to simplicity, authenticity and beauty. Fred’s faith in Jesus, as Lord and Savior, became his bedrock. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, his nine children, five grandchildren and two sisters.
A memorial service will be held from 1 to 4pm on Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Orchard Church, 110 Snowmass Dr., Carbondale, CO 81623. It is open to the public. To honor Fred the gardener, please bring a dish to share, especially if the ingredients contain fruits and vegetables grown in your own garden.
Heartfelt thanks to Hospice of The Valley, nurse Christel Olsen, St. Mary’s Regional, Valley View and Kidney Center of the Rockies for their wonderful care of Fred over the past two and a half years.
Those wishing to send condolences and financial help with end-of-life related expenses, please send via Paypal: paypal.me/DoloresPulver, @DoloresPulver (dpulver@tutamail.com). Any contribution is deeply appreciated.