Randall “Randy” Vinson (North Cascades ’88)
Posted: May 20, 2026
Randy was born on May 30, 1953, in Madill, OK. He was living in Capitan, NM, when he passed away on March 6, 2026, at age 72.
Randy graduated from high school in Coleman, OK, soon enlisting in the US Army, where he became a paratrooper and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. He was honorably discharged as SGT-E5.
Pursuing his love for animals, Randy graduated from Murray State College in Tishomingo, OK, as a certified veterinary technician. While employed at a veterinary clinic in Denison, TX, he met the love of his life, Susan (Kumpf). They were married in 1983, spending 42 years together. When Randy accepted a position with the Ruidoso Animal Clinic in 1984, the couple moved to Capitan.
Randy’s love for the outdoors prompted him to apply for a seasonal position with the USFS engine crew out of Capitan, where he embarked on a career in wildland fire. He later served two seasons as a member of the Smokey Bear Hotshots. In 1988, he was accepted as a smokejumper and rookied at the North Cascades Smokejumper Base in Winthrop, WA. After spending three seasons as a smokejumper, Randy became crew foreman for the BLM and the Roswell hotshot crew. He then transitioned to range technician at Fort Stanton, NM, where he worked for 25 years until he retired.
While wildland fire remained a significant part of his career, Randy loved managing the BLM lands and wildlife waters in Fort Stanton. He made many friends and treasured memories along the way.
His favorite outdoor activities were hiking, running, hunting, fishing, and woodcutting.
