April 21, 2023
For his vision and perseverance, his leadership and generosity, his life-long love of our Lake, we at the Lake George Association are deeply saddened by the passing of Buck Bryan on April 16, 2023.
Reflecting on all he did to protect Lake George, we are humbled and thankful.
Across two centuries, he served as LGA president not once, but twice. During his first tenure, from 1975 to 1980, Buck helped:
- stop the federal government from taking control of Lake George
- stop the dumping of boat holding tanks into the Lake
- increase LGA membership by more than 800 in a single year.
“Buck was a force of nature,” recalls board member Bill Dutcher. “His inspirational leadership of the LGA in the 1970s produced a rapid growth of membership via precinct captains as well as setting an example with his personal generosity.“
Upon professional retirement, Buck rejoined the LGA Board in 2000 for another 10 years of service.
“Buck always rallied the troops in support of Lake George and the LGA,” says Pete Menzies, chair of the LGA board. “He led us to new heights.”
Among those successes:
- improving the buoy marking system accuracy on Lake George
- updating and reprinting the navigational charts, working with the LG Power Squadron
- launching the West Brook Conservation Initiative, which was the largest capital campaign to date to protect the Lake
- launching the LGA’s Helen V. Froehlich Legacy Society.
In recognition of his many contributions, the LGA presented Buck with the Charles H. Tuttle Citation for conservation excellence, the association’s highest honor, during the last year of his second presidency in 2010.
We are forever grateful for and inspired by all Buck accomplished on behalf of the Lake. He gave generously to the LGA for more than 30 years. Equally as significant, he led by example, thoughtfully investing in his lakefront property to manage stormwater runoff.
In our hearts, Buck will live on as an original Lake Protector.