Seth Alexander Fairchild of Patterson, Calif., formerly of the Mount Pleasant community in Wilkes County, beloved son, grandson, brother and nephew, died at his home on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015. He was 18.

Seth was born on March 31, 1996, in Henderson, Nev. He was the second child of Robert Franklin and Pamela Stewart Fairchild and grandson of Robert Franklin and Patricia Fairchild, formerly of the Mount Pleasant community, and Joseph Walter and Wanda Phillips Hutchinson of Traphill.

Seth was an Eagle scout and had attended the Boy Scouts of America National Youth Leadership Training. He loved backpacking, hunting, fishing, long distance shooting and big lifted trucks. He and his family moved to California from North Carolina 17 years ago. Seth graduated from Patterson High School, Patterson, Calif., in May 2014. Seth played trumpet, tuba and sousaphone in the Patterson High School marching band. Seth was an active member of Mountain View Baptist Church in Crows Landing, Calif. Seth had a strong love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Seth loved the United States and always displayed his pride in this country and his patriotism. He had always wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps, but after his left femur had to be removed due to osteosarcoma, he turned his attention to mechanical engineering in the hopes of pursuing a career as a military engineer. He had been accepted to Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont., where he had planned to study mechanical engineering. Seth also had a great passion for hunting and loved Montana.

Seth battled osteosarcoma for two and a half years.
Seth is survived by his father, Robert, and mother, Pamela, sisters Olga, Jessica and Klerissa and a brother, Joseph, all of Patterson, Calif., and a sister, Brittany and husband, Noah, of Modesto, Calif; his maternal grandparents, Joseph Walter and Wanda Phillips Hutchinson of Traphill, and paternal grandparents Robert Franklin and Patricia Larsen Fairchild of Idaho Falls, Idaho (formerly of Wilkesboro).

Arrangements have been entrusted to Franklin & Downs Funeral Home. A service celebrating Seth's life will be held at the First Baptist Church, 124 S. Del Puerto Avenue, Patterson, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. There will be a viewing before the service from 2 to 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Seth requested donations to be sent in his memory to Eagle Mount-Big Sky Kids. All donors need to specify that their donations (cash, check, or credit card on the Eagle Mount website) are for a BSK sponsorship in honor of Seth Fairchild. This will honor Seth by sponsoring another child to attend the oncology camp in Big Sky Montana that Seth so loved.

For checks, please make the check payable to Eagle Mount-Big Sky Kids and then write "BSK Sponsorship in honor of Seth Fairchild" in the memo line. For cash donations, send a note with each donation saying who the cash donation is from, their address and that it is in honor of Seth Fairchild.

All cash and check donations may be mailed to: Eagle Mount Bozeman – BSK, Attn: Seth Fairchild Memorial, 6901 Goldenstein Lane, Bozeman, Mont. 59715.
If donors would rather donate online, simply go to www.eaglemount.org and click "Donate," then "Honor and Memorial," then "donate" and in the "in honor/memory of" field type Seth Fairchild and follow directions to complete the donation.