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LYMAN E. WRIGHT HONORED

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L Y M A N E. W R I G H T H O N O R E D L y m a n Wright was practically born in the potato business. H e was born in the house where he now lives near Monte Vista in the San Luis Valley. In 1927 at the age of 19 he married Edith Wilson. T h e y were both young, but having a keen sense of values Lyman wasn't about to let her get away. During the 39 years since, Edith has been a devoted wife,

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a helpmate, business associate and wonderful mother to the two boys who are with him today in the farming and marketing partnership. The next year (1928) they were both in Denver attending business school while Lyman made up his mind, whether to go to "Colorado Aggies" or go directly into farming, when they received word that his father had been seriously injured in a team run-away accident with a grain binder. His father died the following day. Abruptly fate had made the decisions for Lyman. There was no more thought of Aggies, or business college either. There was an estate to settle and three quarters of land and 100 horses to care for. His father had been a horse breeder as well as a farmer. At this rather young age, after spending 4 years in high school and one year at business school, Lyman was not an experienced farmer. But he buckled in with all the tenacity the job required. Fortunately, he had a very wonderful neighbor, Lester Hawkins (or "Leck"), who helped him over many of the rough spots. It was my good fortune to become acquainted with "Leck" about twenty years ago, two or three years before his death. In reminiscing one day he told me that one of his life's most rewarding experiences had been the opportunity to help a young man of Lyman's determination and ambition. This story has a sequel. Some years later, when Lyman had become an accomplished farmer in his own right, Mr. Hawkins had a serious accident. He was hospitalized for weeks and was incapacitated for months. Innnediately Lyman took over. It never occurred to him to do anything else. He managed the Hawkins farm as well as his own until "Leck" was able to be around again. This kind of consideration and brotherly love is not often seen. What impressed me most about this story was that it came from several different sources and everyone had a warmhearted glow from it. The three quarters of land have now grown to seven. With his two sons, comprising Lyman Wright & Sons, they grow 640 acres of foundation and Certified seed potatoes, shipping the baker size to market and selling the smaller size for seed. They operate their own sales agency, packaging and marketing between three and four hundred carloads of commercial potatoes each year. Lyman has served on nearly every committee in Colorado which would in any way benefit farmers and the potato industry. H e has been a certified potato grower for more than thirty years and has served as a member of the board of directors of the Colorado Certified Potato Growers for the past decade and is presently its secretary. H e received the coveted award of Colorado Master Seedsman in 1958. Lyman is presently chairman of the Governor's advisory committee on farm labor, a member of the agricultural advisory committee to the State Board of Agriculture and is on the executive committee of that group. He is also co-chairman of the Colorado Experiment Station Committee. Several Governors have used his knowledge of the State's water resources, and he probably knows as nmch as anyone about the water development and uses in the San Luis Valley. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is indeed a pleasure for me to present Mr. Lyman Wright for Honorary Life Membership in the Potato Association of America. --Cecil W. Frutchey