Tyler's Memorial in Bend

Hello to all of Tyler’s friends around the world,

The gringos have done it! On August 27^th and 28^th friends and family gathered to give Tyler one last send off and celebrate his life in the only way we could think of, by having a party and going on an adventure. On Friday night people gathered over a keg of beer and some barbequed chicken and ribs. People began arriving around 6 o’clock and as the night progressed more and more of his friends arrived in town to come and honor Tyler one last time. From my prospective, Tyler’s life seemed to come together at various times during the night and not in chronological order. First it was the Liedeckers, whom I greeted (these were his Sun Valley Day ages 14-16 where Tyler was exposed to the great outdoors, exploring the wonders of Southern Utah, climbing in the Sawtooth Mountains, and learning to fly on the snowboard at Bald Mountain). Then I saw Shayon, Claire and Monty. These were friends from his Salt Lake City days where he had access to the Wasatch Mountains and experienced all they had to offer with so many friends. This is also where he become a life long Jazz (NBA basketball team) fan along the way. Mixed in with his past were cousins from Washington and California. These are his cousins who battled him in Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly, (board games) jet skiied with him at Lake Berryessa, traveled up and down the west coast in a motor home, and to whose wedding Tyler showed up dressed as an Indian. Then Bonsai arrived!!! There was Mark, Chad, Sarah, John and Charmaine (Tyler’s girlfriend). These are the people Tyler worked with in the trees of North America building amazing courses for people to experiencing the rush of zipping through canopies, walking over bridges, and perched on platforms taking in the surrounding environment. And then the boys (and Gina) from Santa Rosa arrived. (Richard, Nick, Ryan, Eric, and Mark) These are the people who Tyler grew up with playing with Snoopy, defeating the Germans down in the creek by our house on Kjell Court, saving bees from dying in our neighborhood pool, skateboarding, running from the police, thinking outside the box, and not afraid to do it. There were aunts and uncles, family and friends, Chris Kelley making gin and tonics for as many people as he could, all coming together to share what Tyler had meant to them and it was wonderful.

On Saturday morning people crawled out of their beds and made their way to either a hike or bike along the Deschutes River. The hikers were a civilized group, leaving at 10:00 (much too early for the biking crowd) from Farwell to Bend Park and completed a loop that took them through some great scenery and allowed people to chat and reminisce along the way like civilized people do. The bikers met at 11:00 and headed out to a place called Benham Falls. With two vans and a truck filled with bikes I’m sure we looked pretty funny coming down the road. Somehow everyone was able to find a bike when we arrived and with a few words of encouragement we were off. 45 people on a single track trail along the river ranging in age from 8 to 72 (or close to). We were a mass of humanity, all there to do something Tyler loved, in a place he enjoyed being, and from the rearview it looked amazing. I could almost hear Tyler saying, “Holy Shit!” With laminated pictures of Tyler taped to our helmets, we continued on the trail for about 15 miles stopping along the way to have a beer and snack and finally ending at Meadow Picnic area where we had lunch by the river. It was a great way to start the day.

At 6:00 people gathered at Sheri’s house (Tyler’s Mom). Everyone got a little piece of duct tape to wear in honor of Tyler and by around 6:30 we headed out by foot to Shevlin Park, which is right next to were Sheri lives. The group meandered its way single file along a winding trail. As we slowly approached the memorial site for Tyler, clouds parted and the sun was lightly coming through, bagpipes could be heard playing softly in the background, and Sheri was standing at the site waiting for others to come and say goodbye to Tyler one last time. We formed a semi-circle around a bench that was made for Tyler. Sheri was somehow was able to compose herself and say some wonderful things about her son and I said a few words too. Popcorn was distributed to everyone in attendance as a way to represent Tyler. Then a bell was rung (by Shayon) eight times to symbolize the end of a watch. This is a maritime tradition which has been observed in many Anderson good-byes. Will (Charlie and Michele’s son) then played Amazing Grace on his recorder for his uncle. It was a final send off that started in Huaraz, Peru and ended in Bend, Oregon. Tyler now rests in many places where friends and family can gather to remember and honor a person that touched so many people along the way.

After the service people slowly made there way back to Sheri’s house were we all gathered to try and celebrate the life of Tyler one last time. John Walker and David Murray saved the day with photos and video of Tyler. Chris Kelley was on his best behavior. Even though his favorite whiskey was left back at Charlie’s house the evening was truly “Something Special.”

Thank you to everyone who went to great lengths to be here in Bend. Throughout this whole process I have been overwhelmed with the generosity of so many people coming together for a person that meant so much to them, the one an only “TY.”