Osprey chicks
Jul. 21—David "Zeke" Zabel, who was a fixture in the Boulder Ultimate Frisbee community and the founder of the bag company Z-Kreation, died July 6 while venturing just west of the Flatirons in Boulder.
Zabel was 63.
From a young age, Zabel stood out.
"We could see from an early age that he was a unique person," Zabel's brother Jeff said. "Activities he did were quirky, were funny; they made him stand out."
Zabel grew up in Brighton, N.Y., where he would frequently hike and backpack with his brothers and buy Frostline sewing kits — a hobby he had taken up after his mother.
As he got older, Zabel moved west to Boulder and attended the University of Colorado Boulder where he studied graphic design. When he was 19, he lived in Varsity Townhouses, where he met Kim Zoller.
"He ran up to me asking if I'd hide his puppy, Chinook, upon learning that we weren't allowed to have dogs and the manager was on her way to his apartment," Zoller said in a statement.
The two instantly became friends and competed in ultimate frisbee on Boulder teams, Zoller said.
Zabel and his two brothers became staples in the ultimate frisbee world, Zoller said. They were known nationally as Zabel saw success on The Stains — his Boulder ultimate frisbee team — as he played competitively for all over the country.
"When his passing happened, players from all over the country just poured out their care for him," Zoller said. "So many spoke about how he touched their lives."
After college, Zabel founded Z-Kreation with one of his ultimate frisbee friends. The company was known for its colorful and long-lasting bags. Jeff Zabel said the packs "embodied the creativity he had."
"He's an amazingly creative and inventive, unique soul," Jeff Zabel told the Daily Camera.
Zabel remained in Boulder County throughout his life and enjoyed biking in the canyon and running the Mesa Trail. Zoller said Zabel loved nature, with his favorite spot being up by the First Flatiron.
Zoller said upon meeting her now-husband, the two realized they both knew Zabel, as he had grown up with her husband in New York and considered him a close friend.
For the Zollers, Zabel was considered family. Having no spouse or children himself, Zabel was known as the "funcle" of the Zoller family and lived on their property in Boulder for about 10 years.
With his two brothers in different parts of the county, Zabel would often spend holidays celebrating with the Zollers and was described as the "life at the party."
"In the end, Zeke's life taught me about the power and importance of caring, community and being there for each other through life's many ups and downs," Zoller said. "He will live in my heart forever."
Jeff Zabel asks that anyone interested in making a donation in Zeke's honor donate to the Rocky Mountain Rescue Service or mental health services in Boulder.
