TOWN OF SMYRNA – Arthur W. Lyon, 74, life long resident of the Town of Smyrna, passed away Friday, Feb. 19, 2010 at his home on County Rd. 14, following a courageous battle with cancer.
He was born May 9, 1935 in Smyrna, a son of the late Wallace and Lillian Catlin Lyon. Arthur was a graduate of Sherburne High School in 1953, and was already operating his own dairy farm at the time. He married Lucille Manwarren on Nov. 17, 1956 in the West Smyrna Baptist Church. He proudly served in the U.S. Army on active duty from 1960 to 1962. Along with farming, Art had worked at Standard Brands and for Rasmussen Excavation before starting his own excavating business in 1990. His son, Jay, joined him as a partner in 2005 and Art continued to work with him, never retiring. Art was a loving family man with a ready smile, a gentle humor and an encouraging manner. His favorite hobby was raising pigs, numbering as many as 200 at any given time.
Mr. Lyon was an active member of the West Smyrna Baptist Church, where he was baptized in June 1946. He devoted his time and energy to the church serving as a deacon, trustee, treasurer and Sunday school teacher. He was also a civic minded community member who served on the Smyrna Town Board as a councilman and an assessor.
Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Lucille; his son and daughter-in-law, Jay Arthur and Judy Lyon of Georgetown; his two daughters and sons-in-law, Janice and J. Craig Miller of Cortland; Joyce and PJ Price of Sherburne; his beloved grandchildren: Travis, Rachael, Gabrielle, Esther, Jonathan, Mary, Micah, Lily, Levi, and Susannah Lyon; Jeffrey, Darren, Larissa and Kristen Miller; Philip, Sarah and Aaron Price; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Arlene and George Blood of Alaska, and Alice Lyon of Morris; a brother and sister-in-law, Archie and Hilda Lyon of Tennessee; his mother-in-law, Mildred F. Manwarren of Sherburne; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Also surviving are special family friends, Norm and Ramona Wynn; Steven (Kristen), Erik (Annie) and Wendy. He was predeceased by his father-in-law, Kenneth W. Manwarren.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the West Smyrna Baptist Church.
Interment with military honors in the Willcox Cemetery, Town of Smyrna, will be made in the spring.
Friends are invited to call at the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 10 S. Main St., Sherburne on Tuesday from 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Contributions in his memory can be made to the fund at the West Smyrna Baptist Church for the paving of the parking lot.
Arthur’s family wishes to express their sincere thanks to the staff of the VA Medical Center in Syracuse for the wonderful care given to him in his fight against multiple myeloma for more than five years.
To send a condolence or sign the Book of Memories online go to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com.