Colten Robert Pappe of Palm Beach Gardens, FL passed away peacefully on November 19, 2023, at his home. Colten blessed our lives with his birth on September 29, 1999, in Brighton, CO where he was born into the open arms of his father, Charles, mother, Dawn and proud big brother, Dane. He was just what our family needed to make us complete.
Colten attended elementary school at Hulstrom Options in Northglenn, CO until the family moved to Largo, FL in January of 2008. After that, he attended Madeira Beach Fundamental School for 2 more years. He was homeschooled for the rest of his middle and high school years.
After finishing school, he went to work as a Swimming Pool Technician for Coastal Chemical Inc. in Palm Beach County. He was a loyal, hard worker and all of his pool clients loved him.
During his life Colten most enjoyed being outdoors camping and fishing in the mountains of Colorado and then here in Florida with the Royal Rangers and Frontiersman Camping Fellowship.
He loved all kinds of animals. His two dogs Mia and Cambria were the reason he got out of bed most days. He also dearly loved his hairless cat, Sasha.
When he was younger Colten liked catching animals so that he could see them up close. He was always up to something, such as night crawler hunting with his brother or lizard catch and release or feeding a family of ducks that followed him from the front porch straight into the house.
Colten suffered a severe trauma as a pre-teen which ultimately led to a struggle with alcohol and drugs. He sought and received professional services from several specialists attended and completed two treatment programs and continued to make efforts towards recovery. Colten earnestly tried to overcome his challenges though heartbreakingly was unable to do so in his life.
Colten was a gentle “old soul” who cared deeply for anyone who was hurting, addicted, an outcast, or in need of support. He made it a point to really “see” everybody and judge no one. He used to say, “everybody has a story to tell if you just stop long enough to listen.” Colten learned and taught our family that addiction is not a dirty word, and it’s not a moral failing. And, this was part of Colten’s story. He also taught us that addiction is nearly always rooted in trauma and unbearable pain. His family is beyond proud of Colten for making attempts to face his pain head on and beyond broken hearted at losing him. We share Colten’s story in hopes that others will stop and listen to the stories of those that desperately need to be heard.
Colten is survived by his father and mother, Charles and Dawn Pappe, his big brother Dane, and his sister- in-law Brianna. He is also survived by two sets of grandparents, Keith and Arizona Pappe and Doug and Linda Mackey, so many aunts and uncles and cousins and countless friends who he dearly loved.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held in honor of Colten on Sunday, December 10, 2023 at Serenity Funeral Home 13401 Indian Rocks Road, Largo, FL 33774 at 5 pm. Please attend in business casual dress as Colten did not do suits and ties.
The family asks that in Lieu of flowers donations be made in Colten’s memory to Empowered to Change, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at empoweredtochangeint.org, or to Furry Friends Adoption Clinic & Ranch, the no kill shelter where Colten adopted his beloved Mia at furryfriendsadoption.org.
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