Cover photo for Sean  E Sebern's Obituary
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Sean E Sebern

October 25, 1964 — December 8, 2016

SEAN E. SEBERN of Westminster, CO, age 52, Went home with Jesus on 12/08/16 Cherished husband of Margaret (Bauer), children Stefanie and Kyle, Michael and Brian. The pride of his parents, Harry and Patricia (Keeling) and sister Cyndi (Fronapfel). Dearly loved son-in-law of Rueben and Ruby Bauer. “In lieu of flowers, Sean would be honored by donations to Flight For Life Colorado, Living Free Ministries of Golden, CO, or Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue, Dallas, TX” Sean E. Sebern - Eulogy and Tribute by stepson, Kyle J. Howard Sean Edward Sebern was born at St. Anthony’s Central in Denver, raised in Lakewood, CO, son of Harry and Patricia and older sister, Cyndi. At the age of 8, his life course was set when a Flight for Life helicopter landed on the street by his house. Captivated, he would pursue his passion of flying for the rest of his life. Committed to his goal, Sean enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during his senior year at Bear Creek High School. Ready for adventure, he participated in a merged Senior Field Studies program between Bear Creek HS and Lakewood HS. This is where Sean met Margaret Bauer, a participating senior from Lakewood High School and their love story would begin. (Although the backstory is that Mom’s first impression of Sean was “wow, what a scary guy!” Mom eventually decided that since Sean’s best friend, Mike Schilken, was the kindest guy ever, maybe there was more to Sean worth getting to know). Margaret was encouraged by Sean’s enthusiasm for the military experience and enlisted in the Marines, too- but then their lives took separate paths that would not cross again for 20 years. Immediately after graduation with Bear Creek High School’s class of 1983, Sean was on his hard-charging way to begin an amazing 10-year adventure as the consummate Marine. He excelled in his passion as a helicopter crew chief with HML-267 at duty stations in Camp Pendleton, Okinawa, and Tennessee. He took classes at Ambry Riddle and learned to fly. He undertook his next challenge of parenting and had two sons, Michael and Brian. With the same dedication he applied to everything in his life, Sean never wavered in his love or dedication to the well being of his sons and they meant the world to him. True to his ultimate objective, Sean was then selected for the Army Warrant Officer Program and would finally achieve his ambition of becoming what God intended, a helicopter pilot. When everyone wanted Apaches, given the option, Sean chose what he called the best horse in the race, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. Although he would tease he was a Marine undercover in the army, he would also swear his devotion to his brothers of 1/7 Cavalry. From Ft. Drum, NY to Germany, to Ft. Hood, TX, to deployment in Iraq, Sean was honored to take the field of battle with the men of 1/7 Cavalry, D-troop. In 2003, after 20 years of wandering, Sean and Mom would have their second chance. Reunited, they took the leap on February 29, 2004. Mom let him be in charge of the cake. He surprised her with flags, ribbons, and a big chocolate OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter on top. Four days after getting married, Sean deployed with Operation Iraqi Freedom. The year deployment was hard on Mom and Sean, and all of us, and he missed her. Where some men may neglect calling or texting their wives, Sean order a 6-foot satellite dish shipped from England and then traded cases of beer to be able to fly down from Balad to Baghdad International to pick it up. The guys helped him mount it on a cement wall next to his trailer, he sighted it in, and he was able to connect with Mom every day over the internet while deployed…and he was quick to hook up the rest of the troop. When he returned from Iraq, after 13 years in the Army, Sean turned down promotion to CW4 and fixed wing, and decided it was truly time to come home. With 23 years of service, and not wanting anymore time apart, CW3 Sebern retired from the Army in 2005 and returned to Colorado to be with Mom. Sean never missed a step and was immediately hired by Air Methods Corporation, the largest air medical transport company in the country. Even more significant was his assignment to Flight for Life Colorado. He would soon become lead pilot and base manager at St. Anthony’s Central in Denver where he was born. Having achieved his childhood dream and married the love of his life, his life had come full circle. Sean then put his military training skills to work molding the lives of his stepchildren, me and Stefanie. Sometimes we would get annoyed at how particular Sean was about how he wanted something done, but we had to admit he was just doing things right and we were just being lazy. When it came time for Stefanie to drive, he said she couldn’t drive until she could produce a thorough diagram of all the components of an intersection and he wanted all the details. I remember when I wanted a gaming computer, instead of buying me one, he bought the separate components and gave me the box, expecting me to figure out how to build it. I was 12. Mom was horrified. “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime,” was a favorite saying of his. Sean said of course it would be hard, but that I could ask questions and he would answer them, and I would learn. I surely did. He had what sometimes seemed like unattainable expectations, but it was always for our good. Sean would say his idea of a worthy date for Stef was a guy who wouldn’t flinch with Sean interrogating him while he cleaned one of his high powered guns, or a guy who could change a tire while Sean held a hose on him, proving he could change a tire in the rain while Stef waited in the car. He was always challenging us to raise the bar higher than seemed possible, just wanting to show us we were truly as capable as he knew we were, and Sean shared that same method of operation with his crews at Flights. Sean loved flying so much that he would often fill-in flying the news helicopter for Fox31 and Channel 4 on his days off. Mom loved when he would buzz the house. She developed a radar for hearing the helicopter coming and we’d flash the house lights, flashlights- the neighbors probably thought we were helicopter groupies. Sean and Mom loved to travel, take tropical vacations, go to concerts, and just be together. The most fun was when Air Methods needed a helicopter ferried and they would let Mom go along as his navigator. Sean and Rod would joke that his co-pilot “needed to remain current”. Sean and Mom made helicopter trips from Oregon, to Tucson, to St. Louis, to South Carolina, and many trips over the Divide to Reno. One trip fell on my 16th birthday and Mom gave up her seat so I could do a 7-hour Reno trip over the mountains, and Stef went along for a flight to Grand Junction. Some of the best memories ever. Sean was well recognized for his superior skills and unquestionable authority in the air, yet he remained so humble. He was the driver and the crew were the heros. His job was to transport them safely, and everyone felt safe with Sean in the right seat. Sean flew with FFL for 11 years until 2015 when he was diagnosed with ALS from his time in Iraq. Even after his diagnosis, he insisted on doing another Tough Mudder. Mom felt if she couldn’t stop him, she’d have to do it too. They got Rockies season tickets, and then Nuggets and Avs, enjoying time together and being thankful that they knew the truth that sets us free from worry and fear- Jesus paid it all and in our weakness, He is strong. Having supported Mom through her nursing degree at Regis, Sean would tease that Mom was his long-term care plan, but it would never be long enough. Sean passed at home on December 8, 2016. Sean Sebern epitomized military professionalism. He was born to fly, known for his dedication to safety, his attention to detail, his swagger, his love for Mom and their dedication to each other, his love for his kids, his family, and his bulldogs, Gunner & Piggy, and his love of his Savior, Jesus Christ. Sean was a bad ass teddy bear. Stefanie’s Tribute to her stepdad Sean’s professional military demeanor served him well most of his life. What sustained him was his love for his family and his church family at Fellowship Covenant Church, and what saved him was how his heart was fully transformed in Jesus with Living Free Healing Ministries. They were referred there by their doctor, and honestly, this is the only prescription that can save any of us. When Sean got his diagnosis of ALS, instead of living in fear, they trusted Jesus. They went from having their Bibles, to reading their Bibles, to knowing The Word and living it. Scripture went from 2-D to 3-D, like stepping into a beautiful painting, they learned to step into truly understanding the truth of all that Christ really paid for with salvation, that love heals and the authority of the believer, and the miracles of believing and receiving. Sean and Mom joked that instead of antidepressants, they got Rockies season tickets, and then Nuggets and Avs. Sean never gave up his Raptor. He wore his Trilogy and imagined he was flying a jet. Not sure what that looked like in people’s rear view mirrors, but they tended to get out of the way. Of course, he was always safe; he knew no other way to operate. Covered by the love of Jesus, Sean was thankful that he was starting to feel "palpably stronger" and recently began getting up from a sitting position without his hands for the first time in a year. He was walking and that was important for a man who would walk two miles on an errand rather than take a vehicle because he didn't want to be lazy, and a man who couldn't be talked out of a Tough Mudder. Most importantly, Sean’s FAITH grew ever stronger as he learned to completely depend on Jesus Christ- because GOD IS ALL POWERFUL, we don’t have to be. Still, although he believed in healing, Sean wasn’t quite sure he wanted to stay. He would sometimes tell Mom not to be mad at him if he saw Jesus and couldn’t resist the E ticket, and he promised to see her soon. And we can count on it, because we know the truth, Jesus lives.

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