Loyal, laid back, smart outdoorsman
Ethan, the easy-going, intelligent man loved by many, belonged by the water. As a kid living on Lake Butte des Morts, a passion for fishing developed at an early age. He was graced with a photographic memory. Demonstrating ample dedication as an angler, he won fishing contests in the Fox Valley area, and it became clear that a future in environmental protection and resources was on the horizon. Generous, loyal, caring, and smart, he stood up for those who needed it and maintained lifelong friends. His younger brother Evan was close kin, as was his best friend Mike and his partner Samantha.
His big smile, relaxed nature, and sparkling eyes portrayed the good humor beneath. In kindergarten, he was issued a pair of glasses though he didn’t want them. The solution was tromping down to the dock and “donating” them to the lake. He loved travel, and a trip to Chicago at eight meant seeing fish larger than he’d managed to catch back at home, including a beluga whale, which enchanted him for years to come. He also showed ardor for trap shooting with his father, earning accolades at the Omro Trap Shooting Club. A job at a local market kept him busy in high school, but his eyes were on his future.
As a natural outdoorsman, Ethan dreamt of working for Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources. After high school, he attended Fox Valley Technical College to make his visions a reality. He also aimed to become a professional fishing guide, no doubt inspired by his own success on Lake Butte des Morts.
Substance use began in his late teens, obscuring his goals. Stark shifts in demeanor and loss of ambition broke his mother Julie’s heart. She details her son’s struggles by saying, “[Substance use] changed Ethan from a responsible person with hopes and dreams into a lost soul.” Possessions were stolen and sold, and strangers were welcomed into the family home, causing tumult and fear. As substance misuse took hold, working a job or toward a future became far less important. When Ethan’s journey ended in September of 2019, the sun set over his lakeview horizon, leaving brutal loneliness behind.
In the face of devastation and loss, and despite post-traumatic stress during and after his passing, Julie is determined to honor Ethan’s legacy. She works to destigmatize the disease, to call it what it is, and to educate others on the facts of its lasting effects. She understands that some may never understand the plight, but inarguably, her son’s impact is evident in those left behind. One such benefactor was Bethany, who Ethan rescued from assault years before. She joined Julie at Ethan’s bedside in his final moments, to support the soul that saved her.
The kind dreamer with a fisherman’s heart left his indelible mark on the world and Fox Valley. He will be forever missed.
Ethan’s mother, Julie Augsburger, provided the information for this narrative.
June 18, 1991-September 13, 2019-Age 28
Portrait Artist: Carol Meckling
Narrative Writer: Jill Denton
