Greenburgh Insider: Sad news-in memory of Bill Lawyer, former executive director Greenburgh Nature Center.

 

Bill's contributions to the Greenburgh Nature Center will always be appreciated.

The next time you visit the Greenburgh Nature Center and enjoy the rambling forest trails, gardens, green space, outdoor and indoor animal habitats, the picturesque Manor House and live Animal Museum --please think of Bill Lawyer.  Some sad news. Bill passed away on March 21, peacefully in his sleep in his home surrounded by family.  A service to celebrate his life will be held at the Rye Presbyterian Church, 882 Boston Post Road, Rye on Sunday May 21 at 2 PM according to Liam Lawyer and Katie Sperling, children of Bill.

Bill served as Executive Director at the Greenburgh Nature Center for thirty years.  The Greenburgh Nature Center was only three years old when Bill assumed the position of Executive Director. He made an enormous contribution to the Nature Center. Thanks to Bill's hard work and leadership abilities the Greenburgh Nature Center became one of the leading suburban nature centers in the region - one of the highlights of every young persons growing up experiences. Every time I speak to children at different schools and ask them about the Nature Center almost every student gets excited and talks about their positive experiences. Without Bill that would never have happened.

A passionate environmentalist who taught social studies and was activities advisor at Rye Country Day School, Bill also served as a Peace Corps volunteer. He studied administration at Yale University, political science/Environmental Science at Duke University.

The family suggests that Bill's friends and admirers make a donation to the Greenburgh Nature Center in lieu of flowers. The Greenburgh Town Board will begin our next meeting on April 12th with a moment of silence in honor of this great leader who did so much for our town and for the environment. He will be missed. He will never be forgotten.

PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor