LYLE, Chris

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 03/06/2015 Chris Lyle, 67, of Lakeside passed away at his home surrounded by his family after a 2-1/2 year struggle with cancer. He was born Aug. 26, 1947, in El Dorado, Kan., the son of John and Jean (Poulk) Lyle. Chris moved with his wife and children to the White Mountains in May of ‘74 after graduating with his bachelor’s in forestry at McNeese University. Chris worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for 32 years, primarily in forest development. Among many accomplishments, one he loved the most was starting the first Women’s Fire Team. Chris was also part of the Incident Command System as a section planning chief. He fought many fires in the U.S., was sent to many natural disasters and aided in New York after 9/11. Following his help in New York, Chris returned many times and was instrumental in teaching the FDNY the ICS system. Chris is survived by his wife, Helen; two children, Dawn (Travis) and Dusty (Allison); four grandchildren, Austin and Sean Lyle and Cody and Dakota Holmes. He is also survived by his brother, Jerry, and his father, John. Chris will be missed by his family and the many friends he made around the U.S. A memorial service to celebrate Chris’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 13, at the First Baptist Church of Pinetop, 1901 E. White Mountain Blvd., in Pinetop. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to your favorite charity in memory of Chris.