ALAMOSA — Longtime San Luis Valley resident Creed de Avanzar, who passed away in January of 2022, had his remains cremated and stored at a local funeral home, where they remain unclaimed.

De Avanzar was a Vietnam War veteran who served in the Air Force in the early 1960s.

According to his friend and former business partner, Sandra Goodwin at Ascension Counseling and Transformation, where de Avanzar was a drug and alcohol counselor, said his passing was "A great loss to the community, we did it [counseling] for the people, not the money."

Goodwin added de Avanzar was involved as a cryptologist during his military service while serving in Vietnam.

De Avanzar was originally from New York and came to the San Luis Valley in 1991, initially settling in Crestone.

He was a prolific musician and often played for free at benefit performances for La Puente, Habitat for Humanity, and others.

In 2004, de Avanzar was featured in a Colorado Central article that quoted him as saying he "just tries to be a brighter spot on the planet, just to try to put a smile on somebody's face is a major accomplishment."

That article elicited this tribute to the musician, counselor, and veteran in a letter to the magazine's editor, "I so enjoyed the article on Creed de Avanzar. This world would be a better place to live in if everyone had the outlook on life that Creed has. He's a very caring person."

Besides being a great musician, he's very intelligent, carries on a great conversation, and has a great sense of humor. So, if you ever get to meet Creed, start a conversation. He doesn't know a stranger. Knowing Creed has been a highlight for all of my family."

Although de Avanzar served his country in Vietnam, performed music to the benefit of others, and worked for many years as a drug and alcohol counselor, after his death last year, no one has claimed his cremated remains. To do so, an unpaid invoice to the funeral home needs to be rectified.

Enter Alamosa County Veteran Service Officer Bill Brown, who has set up a bank account and is seeking donations so he can retrieve the cremated remains of this Veteran and disperse them in a dignified manner that will honor de Avanzar.

For those interested in donating to this project, please call Bill Brown at 719-589-1109.