Dick was born July 11, 1946, at Boulder Community Hospital to the parents of Lucile and Charles Lyman and was very proud to call himself a Fourth-Generation Boulder Native. Growing up, he ran the streets of Boulder and graduated from Boulder High School in 1965, where he played varsity football and helped his team win the state championship in 1963. Dick then continued his academic and football careers at Mesa Junior College and the University of Colorado, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He went on to work for the City of Boulder Mountain Parks Department for the next 50 years up until his official retirement in 2001. Dick was the first paid Park Ranger for the City and eventually earned the position of Chief Ranger. During this time, he started the very successful and tremendously impactful Junior Ranger program which helps to develop work and conservation ethics in youth. He was instrumental in developing the Hot Irons Wildland Firefighting crew for the City of Boulder, and Dick retired as a Wildland Fire Incident Commander. After 2001 he continued working part-time for the City at Coot Lake because he was passionate about helping the environment. Dick loved to spend his time outside of work doing anything in nature. He loved fishing of all kinds, especially Bass fishing, as he participated in many tournaments and was a member of the Mile-Hi Bass Pioneer Club for years. He also coached various youth sports and was a huge fan of anything Ford, especially Mustangs and his beloved 1973 Mach 1.
In 1971, at a football game, of course, Dick met his future wife, Chris (Crow). Before their first date, he was dirt biking when he was distracted by something in nature, went off the path, and ended up tangled in a tree. He made the date, and he and Chris fell in love. They married in Longmont at the Ryssby Church in 1977 and never moved from Boulder County. They had two beloved children, Angie (1978) and Kyle (1984), and dearly loved his five grandchildren (Sixth-Generation Boulder Natives). He enjoyed fishing, backpacking, swimming, camping, dirt bikes, and pretty much anything outdoors with his family, including his brother, in-laws, nieces, and nephews. Later, he enjoyed spending time at the family cabin.
Dick played many roles to many people, from mentor, coach, Smokey the Bear, uncle, father, pops, and was even referred to lovingly by some as “Father Nature.” He was a true environmentalist; anyone who has enjoyed spending time in any of the City of Boulder parks and open space has done so through the passionate, hard work of Dick and his crews. He was incredibly selfless and loved and adored by many. A celebration honoring his life will be held on September 5, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the Sunrise Amphitheater on Flagstaff Mountain, on the stage he built many years ago. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation to support future research for a cure for Parkinson’s Disease.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the Lyman family.
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