James Edward Welch II passed away on July 11, 2026, in Denver, Colorado, surrounded by his loving family after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Denver on March 22, 1963, James moved with his family in 1969 to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where his father opened a medical practice. He attended Las Cruces High School and graduated from the Fenster School of Southern Arizona in Tucson in 1981. James went on to attend the University of Arizona and later earned a degree in Biology from Metropolitan State College in Denver before finding his true home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 1994. An exceptional skier, James especially loved navigating the trees and chasing Steamboat’s legendary powder stashes. He worked hard all summer so he could play all winter. A passionate, lifelong Denver Broncos fan, he rarely missed a game. It was also in Steamboat that James truly expressed his creative gifts, becoming an accomplished, award-winning sculptor in marble and metalwork. In 2003, James was blessed with the birth of his beloved daughter, Zoe Welch. A natural builder, he founded Ergo Construction Inc. in 2005, a concrete and ironwork company known for exceptional craftsmanship throughout northwest Colorado. He poured his heart into his work and took immense pride in the structures that stand today as a lasting testament to his skill. In 2013, James met Kaela Miller while attending her hot yoga classes; before long, it was clear to everyone that they were meant to be partners for life. Together, they loved raising their beautiful girls, and wrangling their active dogs in the mountain community they both cherished. James was preceded in death by his father, Dr. James E. Welch. He is survived by his daughter, Zoe Welch, his partner, Kaela Miller, and her daughter, Lyllah Miller, all of Steamboat Springs, CO; his mother, Joyce Ostrander, and stepfather, Pierce Ostrander, of Albuquerque, NM; his sister, Julie (Kurt) Schultz, and their children, Clinton Schultz and Natalie Schultz (Ryan Fasching), all of Denver, CO; his sister, Holly Finlay (Robert Keys) of Albuquerque, NM; and his nephews, Alex (Zoe) Finlay and Matthew (Gillian) Finlay, also of Albuquerque, NM.