Obituary of George Douglas Lyons

George Lyons, loved family more than music George "Doug" Lyons could have made it big in music, but he thought that would take him away from his family too much. So, for almost 30 years, the Florence resident worked for the Clow Corp. and its predecessor as its national service manager. The job took him on the road quite a bit, his wife, Helen Lyons, said. "If he wanted to, he could have made it big-time, but he didn't want to leave his family," she said. "Afterward, he was grateful he didn't go that route." Mr. Lyons died Thursday. He was 73. When he was 13, he won a competition at the Leslie County Fair by singing, "Good Night, Irene." He had a wonderful voice, his wife said, and he made a few recordings that sold well locally but never made him any money. He sang and played the guitar for functions of the Walton Lion's Club, where he and his wife were involved with fund-raisers and charitable work. He was a former president of the club. Later in life, he sang for local churches and for celebrations of wedding anniversaries. Mr. Lyons grew up in Leslie County in southeastern Kentucky. After he graduated from high school, he served in the Navy during the Korean War. After two years, his military service was cut short because his father was killed working in a coal mine. Mr. Lyons was sent home to help provide for his mother and younger sister. They moved to Cincinnati, where his mother had relatives, and there Mr. Lyons met his future bride, whom he married in 1953. They initially lived in Montgomery, Ohio, and then moved to Florence when the Clow Corp. moved there. After Mr. Lyons retired from the company in 1982, he ran his own metal fabrication shop, Lynsco Fabricating, in Hebron for about 10 years before arthritis forced him to quit. For the past 14 years, the Lyonses wintered in Florida because of his health. They became members of the Mariner's Boating Club in Tavarus, Fla. During the summer, they boated with about 30 other couples in the Elite Boating Club of Laurel Lake near London, Ky., where they had a summer cabin. Mr. Lyons was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Union Baptist Church and the Walton Masonic Lodge No. 719, and a 32nd Degree Mason. "He tried to help everybody," his wife said. "He thought of everyone before he thought of himself." He was a very happy person who knew how to make everyone around him happy, his wife said. "I never saw a person in my life that did not like him," she said. "If he had an enemy in this world, I don't know who it could be." His son, Doug Lyons, preceded him in death. Survivors other than his wife include a daughter, Theresa Lyons of Villa Hills; a brother, James Lyons of Fort Thomas; a sister, Lana Feeback of Cincinnati; and four grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday and beginning at noon Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Vine Run Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass-Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.