Loyd P. Lindsey

Loyd P. Lindsey

Sept. 28, 1928 ~ February 19, 2014

February 19, 2014, became the day of rest for Loyd Paul Lindsey.  An intelligent, complicated man, he will be missed by those with whom he shared his life and adventures.  Loyd was born in Caney, Kansas, on September 29, 1928.  His family relocated to Douglas, Wyoming, in the 1940’s.  He began employment with the Bureau of Reclamation in Douglas in 1949.  The Army drafted him and sent him to  Korea from 1950-1952.  During an extended leave in 1951, he returned to Douglas, Wyoming, to marry Marilyn Hixson and returned to Korea to finish his tour. 

During his time in the service he was in the combat engineer group; he built bridges for the troops.

Upon returning to Wyoming in 1952, he went back to the Bureau of Reclamation and was the Survey Party Chief on various projects around Casper, Wyoming.  From 1955-1958 he was the Construction Inspector at the Glendo Dam, then Construction Inspector at the Fremont Canyon Project outside Casper, Wyoming, for three more years.  During this time he lost Marilyn to pneumonia and was left to raise their two children.

Loyd moved the family to Montrose, Colorado, in 1961, and began a position as Chief of Surveys on the pre-construction of Morrow Point Dam.  He wed Edith Pagotto on July 28, 1962.  In 1963 he became the Chief Inspector on the construction of the Power Operations Center in Montrose, Colorado.  He returned to Morrow Point Dam and was the Supervisory Mechanical Inspector from 1966-1969.  He was promoted to Supervisor Mechanical Inspector on the prime contract for Morrow Point Dam.  Another promotion in 1969 yielded him the position of Chief of the Civil Engineering Section for the completion of Morrow Point Dam.

1971-1973 offered a bit of a detour from dam building where he supervised various construction projects including tunnel construction, substation enlargement and road construction.  From 1973-1980 he began work on Crystal Dam as an inspector, later aspiring to Chief of the Civil Engineering Section for this dam construction.  During the time 1980-1984 Loyd was the Chief Inspector at Ridgway Dam, retiring in 1984.  He was also instrumental in the continued improvements of the Glen Canyon Dam prior to retirement.

Post-retirement Loyd remained active by volunteering substantial time and insight to the Montrose Water District.  He instructed welding at the Montrose/Delta VoTech.  He had been active in the Wyoming American Legion and Montrose Elk’s Club.

Loyd always had a passion for history.  He frequented Utah. Canyonlands, Arches National Monument and the Anasazi Culture fascinated him.  He studied the Dominquez-Escalante Expedition and would retrace their steps.  He loved the Zuni, Acoma, and Hopi cultures and would explore those areas when he could.  He frequented the old Spanish missions.  His passions were contagious.

Loyd is preceeded in death by both parents, two sisters and two brothers.  He leaves his wife Edith, children Terry and Sharon and grandchild Tyler;  A celebration of life will be at a later date.  Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home & Crematory, Montrose, Colorado.