Leland Lively

Leland (Lee) Charles Lively, 89, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at his Buena Vista, CO home on January 3, 2022. Lee was born on April 11, 1932 in Alamosa, CO to his parents Myrtle & LaSalle Lively. He attended Alamosa public schools and graduated from St. John’s Military School in Salina, KS. In April of 1951 he joined the U.S. Navy and served as an aviation ordnanceman aboard an aircraft carrier in the Korean War. He received an honorable discharge in 1955. After returning home to Colorado, Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Adams State University. Following graduation, he worked for Climax Molybdenum Company in Leadville, and then returned to Alamosa where he received a master’s degree and teaching certificate. He started his teaching career in 1968 in the Lake County School District in Leadville. In 1974, while on sabbatical, he earned his principal’s license from the University of Colorado Boulder. He served as an assistant principal at Lamar High School and in 1980 he became principal of Buena Vista High School until he retired in 1988. During this time, he was instrumental in establishing the Chaffee County High School and volunteered there after his retirement. He married Diane Burnham in 1974 and they raised three daughters. Lee was an outdoorsman and spent his time playing golf, hunting, fishing and horseback riding. He loved the opera and in 2013 had the chance to tour the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City. He also enjoyed reading, traveling with his family and was an avid sports fan. Lee was a well-respected school administrator and teacher, an advocate for youth in the community and a loving and dedicated husband and father. Lee is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Col. Richard Lively. He is survived by his wife, Diane, and his daughters Cheryl of Longwood, FL, Deborah of Erie, CO, Theresa (P.J.) Gilson of Salida, CO and Alice (Andrew) Forschmiedt of Erie, CO and his grandchildren Shilo, Rudy, Christina, Kellen, Brooke, Jackson and Huck Charles. A Celebration of Life will be held in the Buena Vista area in the coming weeks. Please consider making a memorial donation to: Chaffee County High School through donations to BVCEAF (Buena Vista Community Education Assistance Fund), Attention: Janice Martin, P.O. Box 2027, Buena Vista, CO 81211. Please indicate the gift is in memory of Leland C. Lively. The National Ataxia Foundation, ataxia.org, an organization that “works to accelerate the development of treatments and a cure while working to improve the lives of those living with Ataxia.” On line condolences may be sent to the family at lewisandglenn.com. Arrangements are with Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home.

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