Lyle V. Soderman

Lyle was born on May 15, 1943 in Denver, Colorado to his parents Dollie Marion Cranmore and Vernon Paul Soderman. Lyle had 2 brothers, Ronnie Soderman and Vernon Soderman Jr.

Lyle Enjoyed school as much as most kids. He had some pretty great friends that he got into mischief with. Jim and Bobby Alexander are friends he had pretty much all of his life. Lyle and Jimmy spent time sitting on top of a building throwing tomatoes or snowballs (depending on the season) at the passing cars. Jimmy said Lyle had a really good arm and almost knocked a guy off his motorcycle! What a team they were. They have maintained their childhood friendship and enjoyed visiting each other over the last 60 plus years.

In 1963 Lyle met and married Carole Freeberg. Kim came along in 1964 and Debbie soon followed in 1965. Next came Sheila in 1967 and Lyle got his son, Steven in 1972. So many precious memories were made in the years that followed. Steven remembers spending Saturday afternoons until late in the evening racing his BMX while sharing special time together with his dad. Sunday afternoons, after church were their time to eat sandwiches, chips and plums for lunch and head to Gross Reservoir for some fishing. A favorite memory was a road trip to Dollywood and then along the eastern coast all the way down to the Florida Keys. Just father and son! Steven and Lyle had the opportunity to spend time together every day when they worked together at Clark Kent Bicycles. Lyle enjoyed many New Year’s Eves at the home of Steven and Shawna playing pool. He was quite the “pool shark”! Everyone remembers Lyle spending countless hours teaching them to play pool.

All of the kids have lots of memories of camping trips on “the land”, riding dirt bikes and shooting BB guns. Lyle also truly loved camping and fishing at Turquoise Lake. Catching those sucker fish sure made him mad! He and the kids enjoyed the drive in movies with fried chicken, popcorn and a gallon of A&W root beer.

Lyle helped the kids with their paper routes and always got them to their sporting events. He actually made a canon to shoot a tennis ball in the air so they could learn to catch fly balls! He used to pull them up and down the street behind the VW when it was snowing.

Family time was spent together prepping meals for the following week. Bread making, noodles and sometimes potato dumplings! Lyle would make pancakes for breakfast before he would wake them up to “Rise and Shine”! He also made some really good Barbecue Sauce! Lyle used to hide the chocolate clusters in his bedroom, but somehow the kids always seemed to find them. He did love his sweets and was sure to let everyone know not to touch his Rocky Road ice cream!

The girls remember stealing his tube socks with the stripes because they were in fashion. Lyle was a single dad and he worked hard to do the things that were important to his kids. He actually MADE continuation dresses for his girls. He was an amazing father!

Lyle quit High School but went back and got his GED so he could get a job at Ernie Brame Print Shop. He was a typesetter. He was always a hard, dedicated worker! During his early years he worked at the “Golden Arches”, Sinclair gas station, a local greenhouse, Denver Bumper Works and others.

When printers became available to the average home, Ernie Brame closed. He had been a printer for many years so he had to learn a new trade. He went to Emily Griffith to learn “tool and die” and receive his technical certificate. He was a natural behind machines. He also had an engineer’s mind. He was so talented. He got his first machinist job at RMO. He eventually became a machinist for Hydro Gate. He made the screws and nuts that opened and closed the gates for the largest dam in China. The Three Gorges Dam in Yichang City.

Lyle’s favorite job by far, was being a prototype machinist for Mount Sopris. He had the workshop all to himself and only had to make the first prototype. Then it was up to someone else to follow his directions and make the duplicates.

In about 1979 Lyle decided to study the Bible with a man named CD Todd. After much study, soul searching and prayer, Lyle made the decision to obey the gospel and follow Jesus for the rest of his life. His life had some difficult twists and turns. Lyle became a single dad to his four children. He poured his time, energy and love into them.

In 1985 Kim was working at a daycare center with Joy. Kim told Joy over and over again “You need to meet my dad. You both talk about God a lot!” Joy had been through a divorce and had three young children and was NOT interested in meeting another man. Eventually Kim and Debbie put a plan in place. Joy sold Home Interiors and they decided to book a show in their home. Lyle and Joy met that night and enjoyed visiting about their faith. Lyle began to come visit Joy regularly on Sunday nights so they could talk about that morning’s sermon they heard that day.

Since Joy was a single mom, Lyle NEVER came empty handed, he always brought food and goodies. Joy remembers vividly the night she was ironing in her living room when he looked at her and said “I think I am falling in love with you.” He was concerned about their age difference of 17 years, but it truly made no difference to her. Lyle and Joy were married September 14, 1986. They were SO in love and Joy says she feels like the last 35 years absolutely flew by!

Joy’s kids remember camping, road trips in the back of his Toyota pickup truck, Christmas mornings when we had to wait at least 30 minutes to make sure Lyle had the camcorder ready to capture our first reactions. Lyle always was always behind the camera taking family photos. He was great at making sure the special moments were captured. We loved the mischievous look in his eye when he was curious or interested in whatever caught his attention. He was always so mild and meek in spirit. We knew how much he loved and cherished our mom and that meant more to us than anything else. To take on 3 difficult “bonus” kids that were often ungrateful, mischievous and rambunctious goes to show the depth of his unconditional love. We were beyond blessed that he loved us like his own!

Lyle and Joy enjoyed lots of fun adventures through the years! One of their favorite adventures together was their cruise and land trip to Alaska for their 25th wedding anniversary. For many years they dreamt of retiring down by their land in Cotopaxi Colorado. In 2014, their dream came true and they were able to do just that. Lyle and Joy bought their 2 ½ acre, little piece of heaven! Lyle loved how quiet and simple life was up there. No traffic and lots of time to spend in the beauty of God’s amazing creation! He loved tinkering with his clocks, walking on the property and spending time on the decks watching sunsets and time with his honey. He was a quiet, simple man who loved his God loved his wife and loved his family!

Lyle is survived by his wife, Joy

His children – Kim Martinez, Debbie Soderman (Chet), Sheila Carmichael (Rick) and son Steven (Shawna)

His step children – Michael Mosher Jr (Alison), Rachelle Clemons (Mike), and Janelle Mosher (Steve)

He was blessed to have 21 grandkids – Chad, Sheree, Tilissa, Hope, Amanda, Rose, Gabriel, Ryan, Matthew, Breanna, Caley, Mary, Kyla, Hunter, Zoe, Jace, Elisha, Gideon, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Eliana.

He also was blessed with 7 great grandchildren – Lacey, Easton, Elaina, Eddie, Addilyn, Cole and Little Samuel

You are so loved and will be dearly missed. Heaven seems sweeter every day!

A funeral service for Lyle will be held Monday, December 20, 2021 at 1:30 PM at Olinger Crown Hill, 7777 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033. Viewing will be held one hour prior.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CrownHillFuneral.com for the Soderman family.