Raymond Bridge

Raymond Edwin Bridge passed away in August 2022 at the age of 79, of an apparent heart attack. Ray and his wife Maddie were long-time residents of Boulder, Colorado. He loved the wild areas of the west and was the author of multiple books on outdoor activities, as well as a book on the geology of Boulder County. He also worked for over 15 years in management positions at computer software development companies. He enjoyed cycling, running, hiking, camping, backcountry skiing, kayaking, and rock and ice climbing with his family and friends. Ray was known for his tireless and strategic work on local conservation issues and for progressive causes. He is greatly missed by his family, including his two daughters, and by his many friends.

Ray was raised with an appreciation for science and for the natural world. His father Herbert Bridge was a particle physicist, and his grandfather Josiah Bridge was a geologist. As a result of his father’s career, parts of his childhood were spent at the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico; the Mt. Evans Field Station at Echo Lake, Colorado; and in Geneva, Switzerland. The dedication of one of Ray’s books, America’s Backpacking Book, is “To my Father, who taught me to love walking in high places.”

Ray and his wife Madeleyne (Maddie) met at the Newport Jazz Festival and were married in 1961. Before coming to Colorado, they lived in San Francisco where Ray worked for KPFA radio, reporting on the war in Vietnam. After time in Alaska and Plum Island Massachusetts, Ray and Maddie settled in Boulder in 1970, where they raised their daughters Diane and Cynthia. Ray was a devoted father; he brought patience and good humor to the many hours he spent supporting his daughters’ activities, growth and education. Among his many support duties, he constructed practice gymnastics equipment and served as bike racing road crew for daughter Cynthia and, at a time when children’s kayaks weren’t available, built a custom kayak for daughter Diane. Maddie Bridge passed away in 1998 after suffering from polymyositis, a poorly understood inflammatory muscle disease. Ray remained in the community they both loved, continuing to support local political and conservation initiatives. Ray very much enjoyed spending time with his daughters and their spouses, his grandson Lucas Clark, and his great-grandson Hobie Clark; all share his and Maddie’s enthusiasm for exploring the natural world.

Ray and Maddie loved hiking, backpacking, camping, and skiing together from the beginning of their marriage and later with their daughters. Ray was an avid rock climber and mountaineer. He served as president and an instructor for the Colorado Mountain Club, and climbed Mount Denali, among other mountaineering adventures. In response to one of several times that the third Flatiron was defaced with a large white CU, Ray worked with others to restore it to its natural condition with a paint makeover. He pursued whitewater kayaking at a time when paddlers built their own kayaks, designed and manufactured their own paddling gear, and now popular river reaches were remote and relatively unexplored. Part of his running career included completing the Boston Marathon. More recently, he enjoyed scuba diving with a group of friends who took annual trips to locations including Palau and Belize.

Ray started college at Cal Tech at the age of 17, studying math and physics. During his first ten years in Boulder, he wrote 13 books focused on helping others enjoy outdoor activities safely and with respect for the environment. He revised his 1979 Sierra Club guide to bicycle touring in 2009 at the request of the publisher. From 1981 to 1983, he worked as a senior technical editor at the Solar Energy Research Institute. From 1984 to 1999, Ray worked at a company which began as Reference Technology and changed names and ownership multiple times. Ray’s position titles included Manager of Engineering Services, Senior Software Developer, and Senior Application Architect. From 1999 to 2001, Ray worked for netLibrary.com. In 2004, he published The Geology of Boulder County, a carefully researched guide for general readers, which includes 25 field trips. This book has the dedication “to Madeleyne Bridge, who had a lifelong fascination with geology. Her dedication to preserving natural areas has contributed to the open spaces available to all the people of Boulder.”

Ray and Maddie were committed to working for positive change through involvement in politics, especially at the local and state level. Ray worked to support numerous political candidates, beginning with Dick Lamm’s successful 1974 campaign for governor. In recent years, Ray served on the board of PLAN-Boulder County and as Boulder County Audubon Conservation Committee Chair. He was a strong supporter of the Boulder County Open Space program and contributed to planning efforts by Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP), including the Grasslands Plan, Forest Master Plan, and Visitor Master Plan. Those who collaborated with Ray on conservation work valued his commitment to researching and synthesizing relevant legal and environmental issues, and his understanding of local history and the perspectives of public officials. Friends he worked with also noted his dedication and tenacity. Although he consistently took the time to attend and speak at public meetings, during the pandemic Ray jokingly expressed appreciation for the convenience of virtual attendance at long meetings.

In addition to environmental advocacy, Ray contributed his time directly to environmental stewardship and education. According to Boulder OSMP records, he dedicated over 1200 volunteer hours. His volunteer work included leading educational hikes for thousands of elementary school students, providing geology training for other volunteer naturalists, participating in wildlife monitoring projects, and working with Wildland Restoration Volunteers to remove weeds and collect native seeds.

Ray is survived by his daughter Cynthia Bridge Clark, son-in-law Austin Clark, grandson Lucas Clark, and great-grandson Hobie Clark, of Boise, Idaho; his daughter Diane Bridge and daughter-in-law Jane Megginson, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; his brother Bill Bridge of Vermont; and his sister Clare Bridge of Oregon. His daughters will miss their weekly family conference calls—two to three hours of lively discussion and laughs on topics including global politics, the behavior of the invasive spotted lanternfly, comparisons of Idaho and Colorado water policy, and the adventures of the family dogs. Many friends have mentioned that they will miss Ray’s kindness, ready smile, and dry wit.

To those wishing to honor Ray’s memory, we invite you to consider any work you do to advance progressive or environmental causes to be a celebration of his life. Keep fighting the good fight and enjoy the beautiful world he loved.

A service to remember Ray will be held at the CU Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Complex (SEEC) Auditorium (C120) on Saturday November 12 at 1:00 pm, with a reception to follow. We invite those who would like to to wear a funny science-themed t-shirt in his honor.