Clisbee Nielson Lyman

Clisbee Nielson Lyman was born December 22, 1923 in Oak City, UT to Frederic and Ellen Lyman. The family moved to Blanding, UT shortly after Clisbee’s birth and lived on their farm at Shirttail Corner.  

Clisbee purchased one of the first bicycles in Blanding which cut his commuting time between school in Blanding and home.

After graduating from high school in 1942, Clisbee was told by the draft board that since he was a farmer, he had been classified as an “essential agricultural worker” and wasn’t subject to the military draft.  

“The draft boards told me the only way I could join the Army was to write to the draft board and request that I be drafted,” he said. That’s what he did, and in August 1943 he was drafted and assigned to the United States Army 70th Infantry Division Artillery.  

He served 33 months in Germany and France during WWII. After being discharged from the Army, he was called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France for 30 months.

Following his release from his mission, Clisbee gradually graduated from Utah State Agricultural College (USU) with a B.S. and then a Master’s degree in Agriculture and Economics.  

Clisbee met Peggy Ebelt at a 4th of July dance while she was visiting her sisters in Blanding and after a two-year courtship with Clisbee flying his plane between Blanding and Salt Lake City, the couple was married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 27, 1957.  

Four children joined their family, including Bruce, Jana, Joni, and Gary.

Clisbee worked as a farmer all of his life and at age 13 joined his father and older brother Stanley in forming Lyman Farms. In 1936 this partnership had one of their work horses die, forcing them to purchase a tractor and move into the machine age where he and Stanley’s interest in farming increased dramatically!

In 1990 Clisbee and Peggy were asked to go on a French-speaking mission. They accepted this and were called to the Belgium Brussels Mission.  

After the Monticello Temple opened, the couple was called to be ordinance workers, which they enjoyed immensely.  

Clisbee was a devoted, faithful member of the church serving as a scout leader, stake missionary, seventies president, and many years as an assistant stake clerk and stake high council.

He was a faithful home teacher until just a few years ago when he had to be given “emeritus” status by his bishop due to mobility issues.

Clisbee also served for many years as a director and President of the Blanding Irrigation company and was actively involved in getting Recapture Dam built.

He served as a member of the San Juan County Hospital Board, San Juan County Farm Bureau, and the Soil Conservation District.

Clisbee was extremely devoted to his family and is survived by his children, Bruce (Patty) Lyman, (Mitch) Jana Bailey, (Tom) Joni Kane, and Gary Lyman, along with nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.