Campus community rallies
Lockard, Causley touched the lives of many
Times Staff Writer
Originally published 2010-02-04



A legacy of adventure and a positive outlook remains after the lives of two Western State (WSC) students were lost in a tragic house fire that occurred during the early hours of Saturday morning.

Adam Michael Lockard, 21, and Lucille “Lucy” Grace Causley, 18, shared many things in common before their unexpected departure. The ability to lift the spirits of those around them — known and unknown — was a prevailing theme to Tuesday night’s memorial service held in their honor.

The Grateful Dead’s “Ramble on Rose” welcomed those into the balloon laden Taylor Auditorium, which later reached crescendo with a group sing- and dance-along to Bob Marley’s “One Love.” Tears smeared the painted faces of students who joined family and friends from across the country to fill the assembly hall well past its 500-seat capacity.

“However well you knew them, you are so lucky,” said Sadie Heckle, a WSC student. “They were both such beautiful people and they’re not necessarily gone ... they’re here with all of us, right now.”

Heckle, a roommate of Lockard’s for two years, was one of four individuals evacuated from the burning house on the 100 block of N. Colorado Street. During the time she lived with him, Heckle said she came to know Lockard for his tremendous enthusiasm and positive outlook under any circumstances.

Lockard was born on June 10, 1988, and raised in the Washington D.C. suburb of Bethesda, Md. It was there that Lockard developed his passion for the outdoors at an early age, which eventually led him to bigger hills in western Colorado.

He attended Chevy Chase High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete and captain of the ice hockey team. Other interests included playing the piano, guitar and saxophone, as well as mountain biking and turning wrenches at a bike shop.

It was in 7th grade that Lockard convinced his long-time friend, Sam Koenig, to take up mountain biking. According to Koenig, who travelled with five other friends from Maryland for the memorial, Lockard was a master at harnessing his potential.

“He woke up every day and tried to live as much as he could,” Koenig said.

Lockard was scheduled to graduate this May with a major in psychology and minor in outdoor leadership and resort management. He spent his spare-time shredding the slopes in Crested Butte, riding his mountain bike and attending concerts across the country.

Lockard recently acquired an internship with the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, where he was learning how to teach people with severe injuries and disabilities to ski.

Causley also was called to the Gunnison area by the mountains, skiing and the outdoors. Not long after her birth on April 5, 1991, she was skiing between her mother’s legs down icy “garbage hills” in the northern suburbs of Detroit, Mich.

The Causley family relocated to Harbor Springs, Mich., in 2001, where Lucy went on to play soccer, pipe the clarinet and race for the ski team in high school. Her love for the sport of ski racing is what drove her to transfer to the Lowell Whiteman School in Steamboat Springs as a junior.

“One of the things about Lucy is when she wanted something to happen, she would make it happen,” said Susan, her mother. “I think she just had her heart set on getting to bigger mountains.”

Lucy was planning on taking a two month trip to Costa Rica with a WSC outdoor leadership class this February.

In the meantime, skiing and attending concerts with friends were her passion.

“Lucy only had best friends,” said her father Richard, at Tuesday’s memorial. “If everybody in this room told me they were Lucy’s best friend, I’d say you’re right.”

Adam is survived by his mother and father, Karen and David Lockard; his sister Kate; his two grandmothers and many aunts, uncles and cousins. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in Adam’s name to the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte.

Lucy is survived by her father and mother, Richard and Susan Causley; her brother, Tom; sister, Anna; grandmothers, Delores Causley and Kathleen Candler; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. Donations may be sent in her name to the Lowell Whiteman School in Steamboat Springs.  

 

(Matt Smith can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mattsmith@gunnisontimes.com)