Lyman Sessions Willardson

Lyman Sessions Willardson was born in Ephraim, Utah on May 10, 1927. He died October 4, 2005 in Logan, Utah. He was the oldest child of Lyman Young Willardson and Alice Sessions and was born in the same house where his father was born. He had two brothers and one sister: Harvey Christian Willardson (deceased), Kristeen Green of Orem, Utah and Thomas SheldonWillardson of Kanab, Utah. He married Vivian Berrey of Provo, Utah October 8, 1948 in Evanston, Wyoming. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti Temple. They were the parents of six children, Lyman William Willardson, Kathleen W. Alder, Timothy Miguel Willardson, Mark Berrey Willardson, Paul Bradley Willardson, and Laura W. Huffman. He and his wife were the parents of six children, 14 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. He attended school in Ephraim, Utah, through Snow Junior College. He attended classes at all levels, beginning with kindergarten, in the Noyes Building which houses Snow College. He graduated from Snow College in 1948 with an Associate of Science degree in Engineering. He graduated from Utah State Agricultural College in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering with a specialty in Irrigation. Before graduation, he worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation during the summers. After graduation he worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in Logan while continuing his studies towards a Masters Degree. In 1952, he accepted employment as an irrigation engineer with the United Fruit Company in the Dominican Republic and moved there with his wife and two children. He was later transferred to Honduras in Central America. In 1954, He joined the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Puerto Rico, where he did irrigation and drainage research until 1957. In 1957, he accepted a position with the USDA Agricultural Research Service at Utah State University in Logan, Utah as a Research Irrigation Engineer. In 1965, he was transferred to Ohio State University where he obtained a PhD in Agricultural Engineering in 1967. From Ohio, he was transferred to the Imperial Valley of California where he worked in irrigation and drainage engineering research until 1974. He resigned from the USDA ARS after 20 years of service to accept a position as Professor of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering at Utah State University, where he taught and conducted research through the spring semester of this year, well past his official retirement in 1994. During his professional career, he was active in National and International professional engineering societies, holding national, regional, and technical offices in those organizations. He was the recipient of the Tipton Irrigation Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers and was elected a Fellow in that society. He was also elected to the International Drainage Hall of Fame located at Ohio State University. He has been an irrigation and drainage consultant in many countries for private, government and international agencies. He has 200 published articles related to irrigation and drainage and is co-author of a definitive book on drain envelopes. He has been the principal advisor to countless students over his tenure at Utah State. He was elected four times as Professor of the Year by the International Student Council for his generous help and competent advice to their members in every aspect of their lives. Although Lyman made great contributions in the field of engineering, he will be best remembered for his kindness. He offered help and encouragement to everyone without regard to personal gain or recognition. He is known as a man of absolute integrity. He was inquisitive and had a love of learning. On a technical exchange with the Soviet Union, he asked so many questions he was accused of being a CIA agent. He never quit learning until his death. He also had many hobbies and talents. He enjoyed and was gifted in artistic expression through wood carving, sculpture, photography, and gem faceting. One of his wood carvings was displayed in the Smithsonian institution. He enjoyed black and white photography and had a gift for capturing the spirit of people in his photos. Lyman S. Willardson was active in the U.S. Mormon Battalion and the Sons of Utah Pioneers. He was an active member of the LDS Church and has held responsible offices such as Bishop, High Councilor, Auxiliary Leader, and Teacher and Home Teacher. He served as Executive Secretary of the Logan Utah Cache West Stake for more than 18 years and as a worker in the Logan Temple Baptistery for 9 years. He has served Logan City as a member of the Golf Course Committee and as a member of the Water and Sewer Board for two terms. His expertise will be missed locally, nationally and internationally. The family wishes to express special thanks to Dr Ali Ben-Jacob and his staff for their kind and loving help throughout his cancer treatments. We also wish to thank the caring nurses of IHC hospice for their compassion and service through his last days. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 8, 2005 in the Logan 15th Ward Chapel, 125 West 600 North, Logan, Utah. A viewing will be held at the Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 E. Center in Logan, on Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and also at the church prior to the services on Saturday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Interment will be in the Logan City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net .