Memorial Bench for Boulder Ranger Dick Lyman

Dick Lyman was the first paid Park Ranger for the City of Boulder Mountain Parks and worked his entire ~40 yr career protecting our natural resources and serving the public of Boulder. Wild-land firefighting, naturalist programing, emergency response, forestry, wildlife conservation, starting and running the Jr Ranger program, staff training, and law enforcement are a slice of what he did. You name it he did it all with dedication, heart, and soul!!

We would like to place a bench in his honor next to Coot Lake where he spent an immense amount of time caring for the land. He helped patrol the area in the 80's when it was a nude beach and his "retired" years he worked hourly managing the area. He even built the iconic dock with his own hands! There was not enough funds in his City budget at the time to build one so he fundraised himself. He worked with the Mile Hi Bass Pioneers Fishing Club raised money and helped provide the manpower to have it built with his volunteers. My brother Kyle remembers going down on Saturdays to help. He loved to interact with the public and share his knowledge and love for this space. Every inch of the land was tended by him for decades. If there was ever was to be a memorial bench at Coot Lake it should be for my dad!

He passed from a long 20 year decline in July of 2023 from Parkinson's disease that was completely devastating for him and our family.

The City Parks and Rec dept. has generously agreed to cover the indirect costs associated with the bench including labor and maintenance. The direst cost of the bench is $2084. All contributions will go directly to covering the cost of the bench.

The memorial on the bench will be for Dick but also for all of those who continue the legacy of tending to the Earth. The memorial plaque will read something like this..

Dick Lyman husband, father, brother, pops and Boulder Ranger. In honor of all who continue his legacy of caring for people and the Earth.

Thanks for considering!

Love, Angie Francis (Lyman)

Kyle Lyman and Chris Lyman