Lee Norton Kayser

Lee Norton Kayser was born July 14th, 1977 in Denver, Colorado and died July 15th, 2022 in Marco Island, Florida. He was deeply generous, fiercely loyal, and profoundly intelligent. Those who had the good fortune to love him, knew him to be one of most giving and heartfelt people that they would ever meet.

As a child, Lee had a mischievous grin and a sense of adventure. Jim and Yvonne smile (and cringe a little) when they recall searching for the sound of his muffled grunts, only to discover him stuck in the laundry chute on his way to the basement to visit dad in the workshop. He also showed an early propensity for power naps. Yvonne can still remember the sound of his rocking horse slowing as he dozed off, and then picking back up as he woke and went right back to his ride. He was known to give his sisters a hard time, but was also incredibly sweet and gentle, resorting to watching Sesame Street with a pesky little sibling sitting on his back. His dad was happy to indulge the follies of childhood, even going so far as taking him to see WrestleMania(!) and making him a rad lightsaber from a broomstick and neon paint. Legos also consumed Lee's youth, and here at least the sisters proved useful as they proudly served as assistants to find that perfect piece in the big red Lego suitcase. In later years, only Yvonne could match him at the Scrabble board, with the rest of the family generally declining to get beaten for a second round. In his adult life, Lee made his homes around the US always near water to support his fly-fishing obsession. Despite often living away from his family, he rarely missed an important occasion. He never forgot a call or a birthday card, in his beautiful handwriting, to make sure that his love was felt from afar.

As time went on, Lee became a favorite uncle to his nieces Eloise and Sadie. His love and dedication to them was felt even before they were born. He was brought to tears at the news of their impending arrivals and frequently checked on their progress in utero. He was not afraid to be silly and spent many hours in imaginary jails or music classes. His young playmates delighted in having such a willing participant in their games. “Sharesies-waresies'' was a constant in Eloise’s young life, as Lee teased and threatened to steal her snacks. And Uncle Yee is the only person that Sadie talks to on her toddler cell - according to her, he is doing “nom-nom”, then nap - she is likely correct. He was also an honorary uncle to many of his friends’ children.

Lee could be reserved about sharing details of his life, but you may not have noticed as the conversation gracefully revolved around you. He would likely not fill you in on his many professional accomplishments, or wow you with the beautiful French and Spanish that he spoke fluently. To learn about his assisting newly arrived refugees with the maddening tumult of daily life, or his time spent at the local food bank, you would have to pry, and you still wouldn’t learn the depth of his generosity. He was humble to a fault, and we will never know the extent to which he touched the lives of people around him with abundant charity and genuine kindness.

What we knew and loved so well was his humor, his intelligence, his caring, and the unique way that he moved through the world. He could accomplish so much, seemingly with no effort - a lot of it apparently achieved while lying on the couch. Early on it became evident that he was in possession of a “Secret Brain”, which allowed him to ace tests and sail through school - finishing his educational career with an MBA from Thunderbird - with no verified witnesses to him ever having studied. He excelled professionally, quietly garnering respect and admiration from his peers.

He leaves behind not one, but two tuxedos, and could look sharp with the best of them. But as far as we know, he never boarded a flight in anything other than swim trunks and flip flops. He did not stand on ceremony or put too much stock in appearances. When Kathryn gifted him a painfully lopsided, homemade Denver Broncos apron one Christmas, he named it the “Gordon Gartrelle” (google if you’re not a child of the 80s) and proudly wore it to cook up some mean green chile or gumbo, preferably to compliment a win by his beloved Broncos or Colorado Avalanche.

He ranged throughout the mountains and rivers of Southern Colorado - often with his canine best mate Kelsey, temporarily displaced from her post at his dad Jim’s side - hiking, camping, fishing, and reveling in the beauty of his home state. In search of the elusive catch, he was also drawn to all corners of the earth, filling his soul with the beauty of the waters of Washington, Florida, Louisiana, Belize, Alaska, the Bahamas, New Zealand, and other far-flung destinations. He was accompanied on many of these adventures by his fishing mentor, his dad. In following his passion, Lee became an expert fly fisherman on any type of water.

His friendships were deep and long lasting, and the void that he leaves is felt in the hearts of so many. The love and loyalty among his friends from his earliest school days is as strong now as it was before their lives diverged onto each one’s own path. The connections that he continued to make as he branched out and traveled are no less strong, and he leaves behind a wide and diverse group of people who love him, and are so lucky to have been able to call him a friend. Though we no longer have the privilege of having him at our table, reaching him with a simple call, or laughing at his ridiculous wit, he burns so brightly in our hearts and memories that we will never truly lose him.

He is survived by his parents James and Yvonne Kayser; his sisters Ashley Kayser, Kathryn Kayser and Tighe Hall; his brothers-in-law Merlin Maley, Richard Lynch and Ben Hall; and his nieces Eloise and Sadie Hall. The lives that he has touched and the people who mourn his passing are too many to count.

There will be a celebration of his life to be held in Denver in September - details to come.