Dylan Baire Wrixon, 38, was born and raised in Phoenicia, New York, in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.

Even Dylan’s name carried a piece of home and a story his family would tell for years. When his parents, Krista and William, were expecting their first child, they chose not to find out whether they were having a boy or a girl. At the time, bears were scarce in the Catskills to hunt. His father, William, had yet to get his first bear.

On March 15, 1988, William instead welcomed his first son—and got his first “Baire” in a way he never expected.

And so, Dylan Baire Wrixon got his name.

Dylan was deeply loved by his parents, Krista and William, and will be remembered always as their beloved firstborn son.

He shared a particularly special bond with his mother. One of Dylan’s earliest tattoos was an angel bearing Krista’s name, a permanent reflection of the way he regarded his mother throughout his life—as a saint. Krista, in turn, loved her firstborn with the fierce and unwavering love of a mother bear.

A son of the Catskills, Dylan loved hunting, video games, and sharing a good laugh with good people. He was also a lifelong member and board member of the Lake Katrine Rod & Gun Club, a place that held a special place in his life and where many memories were made over the years. The club was more than somewhere he belonged—it was a community filled with friendships, stories, laughter, and time spent doing something he loved. Those memories, like so many others, will continue to be treasured by the family and friends who shared them with him.

Dylan leaves behind his parents, Krista Wrixon and William Wrixon III; his sons, Bowen Baire and Cyrus Wrixon; his sister, Kira Wrixon; his grandfather, William Wrixon II; and his beloved axolotl, Slimey, along with his aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, and friends.

He was predeceased by his grandparents, Mary Lou Fusaro, Paul Fusaro, and Arlene Wrixon, as well as his beloved dog, Athena, who was surely waiting to greet him.

Dylan’s family and friends will gather to celebrate his life at a later date. Details will be shared once arrangements are made.