[pct-l] fresnobee.com | Popular resort owner dies

[SLalicker@aol.com (SLalicker@aol.com)]

Sue (SLalicker@aol.com) sent
you the following article from The Fresno Bee
on the Web (http://www.fresnobee.com).

This article is protected by copyright and should 
not be printed or distributed for anything except 
personal use.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Comments from SLalicker@aol.com:

I have some sad news for anyone who has been fortunate enough to enjoy the hospitality and friendship of Butch Wiggs at VVR.

---------------------------------------------------------------

fresnobee.com | Popular resort owner dies
By Bruce Farris </B><BR> The Fresno Bee, The Fresno Bee
http://www.fresnobee.com/searchSite/0,1906,234069,00.html



Popular resort owner dies




Friends believe pressures from work might have contributed to the suicide
of Butch Wiggs, 49.


By Bruce Farris  The Fresno Bee

(Published January 28, 2001)


The high mountain community, along with all the people who have visited
Vermilion Resort at Edison Lake the past six years, are in shock. 

Floyd Wayne "Butch" Wiggs, owner of Vermilion Resort, committed suicide
Thursday in Auberry. He was 49. 

Randy Cohea of Hanford, who had served at Vermilion as fishing guide
and has spent the past five summers as a confidant of Mr. Wiggs, was
devastated. 

"I have spent countless hours driving back and forth to Auberry in
the past nearly two months as a friend," Cohea said. "My wife and I
have done all we could do to help Butch and the family. I saw him Tuesday
and talked to him by telephone Wednesday. It appeared everything was
on the upswing. 

"I can't imagine what caused him to do what he did. There was a lot
of pressure running a resort like that, lots of very long days and
nights. I worked up there the past five years as an electrician, waiting
on tables, whatever way I could help. He did so much for me. He hauled
my trailer up the hill to Edison at the start of the season and back
down and stored it during the winter." 

Cohea had fished Edison since he was a teen-ager. When he met Mr. Wiggs,
they formed an almost instant friendship. 

"In my opinion, the mountains won't be the same without him," Cohea
said. "He built Vermilion into one of the best resorts of its type
anywhere. It was written up in backpacking magazine articles, even
in Europe, as a place to be sure to visit. He insisted we call everyone
guests, because that's the way he regarded anyone who visited the resort.
"He had lost nearly 100 pounds, was down to 180 pounds, lightest in
years and years. Problem was, during the resort season he wouldn't
even take a weekend off. He made weekly trips down the hill for supplies
and even used a snowmobile in the wintertime to check on the resort.
He loved the place." 

John Cunningham, who owns Cunningham's Pack Station near Edison, was
stunned. 

"His loss leaves a big void among those who knew him best and anyone
who has had much contact with him," he said. "I knew he had been pretty
down since the end of the resort season. There is so much pressure.
"He came home and then went back up to the resort and stayed until
just before Thanksgiving. He finally came down and moved into a trailer
in Auberry. I visited him several times there. Last time I saw him,
I thought he was doing better. Nothing is worth that, such a waste
of a good friend and good person." 

Mr. Wiggs was the consummate promoter. He offered one free night's
stay for packers on the Pacific Coast trail. Twice daily during the
summer he ferried packers and tourists across Edison to the trail heads
leading to the High Sierra trails and lakes. 

Mr. Wiggs had vision and was able to work with the Forest Service and
the Department of Fish and Game, as well as backpackers, horse packers,
hunters and anglers. 

He had plans for expansion and renovation for this year after his best
summer financially since he bought the resort from Katie and Toby Miller.
At Vermilion, Mr. Wiggs stayed up late singing and telling stories
with friends, guests and employees, but was up in the morning to greet
early risers. 

"Yeah, that's one of the down parts of a job like that," Cunningham
said. "You put in a lot of 18- to 20-hour days during those few months
when you make most of your money. There is a lot of pressure, but it
always appeared Butch had the personality to ride it out. I looked
forward to our Labor Day poker parties. He was a great storyteller."
Bee sports reporter Andy Boogaard had spent at least a week each summer
with family and friends to fish and vacation at Vermilion even before
Mr. Wiggs took over. 

"It appeared Butch's mission in life was to make his place visitor
friendly," Boogaard said. "The bonfires, the big backyard barbecues,
the service, he did everything to make us all feel good. And he did
it. He was up there in God's country breathing clean air with beautiful
scenery every day. It's very difficult to believe he is gone." 

Mr. Wiggs is survived by his wife, Peggy; daughters Jessica, 13, and
Mary Ann, 10; brother Bill; and sister Diane Bulcua. 

Funeral arrangements will be announced. 

The reporter can be reached at bfarris@fresnobee.com or 441-6347. 

 

---------------------------------------------------------------
This article is protected by copyright and should 
not be printed or distributed for anything except 
personal use.