Man behind Travis County parkland dies

Milton Reimers never had much to say, but he sure had a lot to do.

The fourth-generation rancher was the beloved owner of Milton Reimers Ranch, a world-renowned location for rock climbing and a prime fishing spot along on the Pedernales River. Reimers created a legacy for himself in Travis County and beyond by opening his private property to climbers, mountain bikers and anglers. He eventually sold a large portion of the land to the county, creating the Travis County Milton Reimers Ranch Park.

While climbers scaled his limestone cliffs, Reimers kept busy tending his livestock and catching predatory animals for a local wildlife conservation program. Even in Reimers' later years, his family says he was never one to shy away from a hard day's work.

"Daddy was always a very quiet person, but when he spoke, everybody was listening," said Reimers' daughter, Dianne Simon. "He was a worker. He was always thinking about what was next to be done on the ranch."

Right before falling asleep Saturday, Reimers reminded his family, "We have hay to cut."

His family now holds on to those words as the last ones he spoke before dying in his sleep at age 82.

Reimers' wife, Joy, along with their children mourned at their family ranch in Fayette County on Wednesday. The generations of people who continue to enjoy the Travis County Milton Reimers Ranch Park offered condolences and shared memories of Reimers on social media.

"There was such a big response with comments from people," said Danny Simon, Reimers' son-in-law. "As private as the Reimerses were, they still allowed people to come onto the property. As long as you respected Milton's rules, you could treat the land like it was your own. It was amazing to see all of the comments. It's amazing to go out there and see the kids playing and those legacies continuing today."

For Reimers, ranch life was his birthright.

His great-grandfather was the first to start ranching on the property, which was originally about 10,000 acres. That land included Hamilton Pool Preserve, where many residents now go to enjoy nature and a swim.

"His great-grandfather was the one who originally let people on the property to fish for a small entrance fee," Simon said. "That was in the early 1900s. For a long, long time people had access to our ranch by going to the pool and swimming or going to the river to fish and camp. As the ranch got divided up between family members, the family that inherited the property continued that process."

After marrying in 1959, Milton and Joy Reimers acted as gatekeepers for the property. They collected entrance fees and enjoyed chatting with their visitors. The couple operated their portion of the ranch on Hamilton Pool Road for more than 50 years.

In the early 2000s, however, Milton Reimers became concerned about the rapid development in Dripping Springs and in the Hill Country. So, he developed a plan to help preserve the property for generations to come. 

"When he said something, I didn't argue, because I knew he had thought about it for a long time," Joy Reimers said. "I dug in my feet against moving. I wanted to stay there."

"He didn't want his property eventually turned into a subdivision," Simon said. "He wanted to try to preserve as much of the land as possible, especially with the river being right there."

Joy Reimers said they talked long and thought hard about the decision and the effect it might have on their children. Even though it was a sacrifice, they moved away to a new ranch and the property became the largest park in Travis County. 

"I believe the community loves the Reimers for what they did," Danny Simon said. "It's pretty remarkable to me that they are all very humble and don't think it was a big deal. But, for everybody else, we realize the legacy they left for the community."

He said that although it has been 20 years since they left, "the Reimers have left so much behind for the state of Texas and everybody else that people still remember them."

Milton is survived by Joy, his wife of 60 years, daughters Lorinda Preslar and Dianne Simon, son Randy Reimers, and four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one step-great-granddaughter.

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Friday at Harrell Funeral Home, 100 Heritage Drive in Austin. Funeral and graveside services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Fitzhugh Baptist Church and Cemetery, 11607 Crumley Ranch Road in Austin.