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Durango, Colorado

Lynn Vandegrift Obituary

Lynn was born on May 17, 1932 in Monroe, MI. After attending Michigan State University, Lynn relocated to Colorado and studied at both Regis College and the University of Colorado.

Lynn met his wife Jackie while working for Daniels and Fisher in Denver, he was a clothing buyer and she worked in the bookshop. They married in 1955 and moved to Broomfield in 1959. They opened a clothing store in Boulder, "The Leatherstocking" and operated it until they decided to change career paths. Lynn went into city planning and Jackie became a teacher. They had two children, son Todd and daughter Vicki.

Lynn began his planning career as Assistant Planning Director for Boulder County followed by being the Planning Director for the City of Aurora. At the City and County of Denver, Lynn was Chief of the Plan Implementation Division for 5 years, where he drafted the Denver Sign Code.

Lynn and his family relocated to Durango in 1974, where he was the Planning Director for the Animas Regional Planning Commission before opening his private consulting office in 1977. As a private consultant, Lynn worked on planning projects throughout western Colorado and New Mexico. One of his favorite jobs was conducting Facility Master Plans for the U.S. Forest Service. After retirement, Lynn kept busy volunteering for a number of years on the La Plata Council on Aging.

Lynn served 4 years on the American Planning Association (APA) National Board and on the Commission of the American Institute of Certified Planners. At a state level, Lynn served as the President of the Colorado Chapter of APA.

Lynn had a passion for gardening. It started while working in his family's greenhouse and florist business when he was a child. Known for their remarkable yards, the hobby turned into a business when he and his wife raised flowers to sell at local shops and raised asparagus on the family farm in Illinois to sell locally there. He and his son raised produce and sold it at the local Farmers Markets for many years.

Lynn also had a passion for politics, from having the entire family pass out door knockers during election season when his kids were young, to joining the Peace and Justice Coalition in Durango and protesting the war in Iraq.

Lynn was preceded in death by his wife Jackie in 1998 after 43 years of marriage. He is survived by his son, Todd (Vicki) and daughter Vicki (Robert Bowie), his brothers Tom (Michigan), Chuck (Arizona) and John (Ohio), as well as 4 grandchildren (Jeremy, Nathan, Alex and Katelyn) and 4 great grandchildren (Ashley, Ellie, Natalie and Emma).

A Celebration of Life, followed by a BBQ, will be held at the family home on Saturday, August 20, 2016, starting at 4:00 PM. Friends, family and acquaintances are invited. The celebration will be at 100 Cottonwood Lane, off of C.R. 307, on the Florida Mesa; for directions call 247-3301.

Published by The Durango Herald on Aug. 11, 2016.
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Memorial Events
for Lynn Vandegrift

Aug

20

Celebration of Life

4:00 p.m.

100 Cottonwood Lane, CO

Funeral services provided by:

Hood Mortuary - Durango

1261 East 3rd Avenue, Durango, CO 81301

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