Gerald Durand Lyman

Gerald Durand Lyman (80), beloved husband, father, grandfather, went to be with his Lord on August 11, 2011. Gerald (affectionately known as Jerry) was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on September 22, 1930. His family moved to Inglewood, CA when he was 10 years old, where he received his grade school education, eventually graduating from George Washington High School in 1948. In 1952 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from UCLA. He then entered Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ, graduating in 1955, and was later ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament, in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) by the Presbytery of Los Angeles, at Vermont Avenue Presbyterian Church on September 18, 1955. Gerald began his ministry to congregations as an Assistant Minister at La Crescenta PC, CA. (1955-1958). Being interested in ecumenical studies, Gerald spent a year studying with renown Reformed theologians at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Geneva, Switzerland. When he returned to the United States, he was called as an Associate Minister for Pacific Beach PC in San Diego, CA (1958-1965). On November 26, 1960, he married Jacquelin Johnson. (They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.) and began to build their family, with the birth of a daughter (1961) and a son (1964). Together they walked with the Lord and began their journey to organize two new Presbyterian (U.S.A.) churches in Riverside Presbytery, Synod of Southern California and Hawaii. Their ministry took them to the High Desert area of Yucca Valley, CA, where Jerry organized Desert Hills Presbyterian Church (1965- 1979), founded an ecumenical Ministerial Association, and was active in the Morongo Valley Mental Health Association. In 1979 the family moved to Rancho Cucamonga, CA to organize and charter Northkirk Presbyterian Church (1979-1986). Gerald had a pioneering spirit and a missionary heart, which enabled him to be an effective organizing pastor. Gerald received his Doctorate of Ministry Degree in May 1986 from San Francisco Theological Seminary (PCUSA) and Dr. Lyman began a new ministry among older adults as Associate Pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Hemet, CA. He trained Stephen Ministers, led Presbyterian Women's Bible study classes, planned monthly worship services for convalescent homes and called on members of the congregation who were homebound or hospitalized. He retired from full-time active ministry in 1995, returning once again, one year later, to become the Pastor of Visitation at this same church. He and his wife have continued to worship at the church, where he received the honorary title of Pastor Emeritus. In his retirement, Jerry became passionate about genealogy research. He joined the local Genealogical Society and volunteered in the Heritage Center at Hemet Public Library. Jerry supported Valley Restart, the Community Pantry and other community service organizations in Hemet-San Jacinto Valley. From his home computer, he participated in the American Syringomyelia and Chiari Project through on-line ministering to persons who had been newly diagnosed with Syringomyelia, a disorder for which Jerry had personal experience in his own life. He loved taking his family on camping trips to the High Sierra and to the desert, photographing native wildflowers, reading history, science, archeology and theology books, and working on family genealogy, doing the research to put together two family genealogy booklets. Jerry was an extraordinarily kind and gentle human being; a man of integrity, grace and wisdom. He is survived by his wife, Jacquelin, daughter, Caren Charise Tangora, son, David Alan Lyman, daughter-in-law, Robin Piker Lyman, five grandchildren, Zachary, Daniel, Nicholas, Gabriella, and Kaitlin; an aunt, Leoma Pech, and a large family of cousins. He will be truly missed by many because he gave so much of himself to his family, friends, and community, as he fulfilled God's call in his life. A service of memorial and celebration for the Reverend Dr. Gerald Durand Lyman will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Hemet on Saturday, September 17th at 9:00am. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery, 201 E. Gillet St, El Centro, CA, 92243, on September 16, 2011 at 12.:30pm. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Presbytery of Riverside (1875 North 'D' St., San Bernardino, CA 92405), please specify: New Church Development and Redevelopment; or First Presbyterian Church of Hemet (515 E. Kimball Ave. Hemet 92543). Specify: Missions.