Lewis ""Lu"" Picher Ph.D.

Lewis Picher, Ph.D., known to friends and family as Lu, died peacefully at home on June 12, 2019, surrounded by family.

Born in Fort Monroe, Virginia, to Oliver S. Picher and Marion Lewis Picher, Lu was raised in a military family, moving every few years. His most formative experiences were while his father was stationed in Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Japan.

Lu attended prep school at Taft. After graduating from Harvard University with a Bachelors in Botany, he served in the Air Force. It was while being stationed in Salina, Kansas, that Lu first visited and fell in love with Colorado.

Upon leaving the Air Force, Lu earned a Masters in Psychology from Boston University and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Texas.

Moving to Denver, Lu worked as a psychologist for the Fort Logan Mental Health Center, the Peace Corps, and Bethesda Mental Health Center. He was particularly proud of the work he did during his 31 years at the Denver Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital, counseling veterans suffering PTSD. Upon retirement, he enjoyed joining his fellow docents interpreting rotating Special Exhibit programs at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Gardening was also a favorite activity.

He was an avid birdwatcher, traveling around the world with his wife, Joanna, to observe birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Growing up in Hawaii also gave him a life-long love of the ocean. Lu took up SCUBA diving at the age of 65, completing his 100th dive at the age of 78.

He discovered river rafting when his children attended East High, eventually obtaining his own river raft and becoming an expert river guide leading trips on the Green, Yampa, Arkansas, and Colorado Rivers.

Lu was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, The Wilderness Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife (WWF), Katie Adamson Conservation Fund (KACF) and many other conservation organizations.

He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Joanna Scott Picher. He is also survived by his three children, Oliver (Helen), Katherine (Michael Kanouff), and Alison (Christopher Allan); three stepchildren, Frank (Laela) Herzog, Paul Herzog, and Theresa Meyers (Steven); numerous grandchildren-Davis, Caroline, Nina, Maris, Ben, Lucien, Tommy, Grace, Luke, and Emma; his sister, Sarah Kniering Marshall; and his first wife, Margaret Passoth Picher.

The family would like to thank Katie, Sandy, and Leah for their loving care throughout Lu’s long Journey and Dr. Sameer Mehta, Maggie Bast, Emily Templeton and Josh Reynolds for their long ongoing medical care and personal support.

A celebration of life and mass will be held at 5:00 pm, August 15, at Dignity-Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church, 1100 Fillmore Street, Denver, CO 80206. A social reception to follow at the same location. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a nature or wildlife conservation effort of your choice.