Lyman Dwight Wooster was born in Greeley, Colorado, on July 15, 1884. He received his Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the Kansas State Normal School in Emporia, Kansas, in 1911 and completed his Master’s of Philosophy degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1919. He completed his PhD in Zoology from Stanford University in 1936.

In 1909, he taught science at the Western Branch of the Kansas Normal School. He resigned in 1910 to continue his education and was reappointed as the head of the Biology Department in 1912. He served as Dean of Fort Hays Kansas State College from 1938 to 1941. On August 15, 1941, he was appointed as the fourth president of Fort Hays Kansas State College. He served in this role until 1949. As President Emeritus, he continued to teach as a Professor of Zoology and Geology until his retirement in 1954. His book, Fort Hays Kansas State College: An Historical Story (published as A History of Fort Hays Kansas State College 1902-1961), was published posthumously in 1961.

Lyman D. Wooster married Mary O. Smith on May 27, 1913. They had four children: Lyman Dwight, Jr., Martha, Mary, and Cynthia. Dr. Wooster’s first wife, Mary, died on April 24, 1945. He remarried Mrs. Velma Rippeteau on December 22, 1948. Dr. Lyman D. Wooster died on February 21, 1960. He is buried in Mount Allen Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.