Former San Ramon Resident Killed In Grand Canyon Fall

SAN RAMON, CA – The 67-year-old man, who fell 400 feet to his death from the South Rim in Grand Canyon National Park last week, has been identifed as Michael Obritsch of Santa Rosa, Grand Canyon National Park spokesman John Quinley said.

Obritsch was a longtime computer analyst at PacBell in San Ramon before moving about 15 years to Sonoma County, according to his obituary.

After a report on April 3 at 11:30 a.m. of someone falling over the canyon rim east of Yavapai Geology Museum, responding rangers found the man's body approximately 400 feet below the rim. The park's helicopter and technical rescue team recovered his body, officials said.

Yavapai Geology Museum is located on the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village.

Obritsch was a graduate from Piner High School in Santa Rosa, had a degree in mathematics from the University of California, Davis, and lived in Santa Rosa working part time for Johnson Pool and Spa, according to his obituary.

"His warm, friendly personality, intelligence, dedication, kindness and his sense of fun will be greatly missed," the online post stated, adding that a celebration of his life will occur later this month, and memorial donations may be made to the Sonoma County Humane Society.

The National Park Service and Coconino Medical Examiner investigated the death, park officials said.

Obritsch's death marked the third tourist fatality in eight days at the Grand Canyon, according to new reports. Two others died March 26 and March 28.