Mary Jo Lyon 1924-2012

LYON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/19/2012 at 10:51:31

Sioux City Journal
July 15, 2012

Mary Jo Lyon, 88, formerly of Anthon, passed away in Brookings, S.D. on July 10, 2012.

A small family funeral service was held July 14 at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings, followed by interment in Oak Hill Cemetery, Anthon.

Mary Jo was born in 1924, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and moved to Hamburg, Iowa, where she spent her growing-up years. She attended Central College in Fayette, Mo., and Peru State Teachers College in Peru, Neb., before coming to Anthon to teach music and English in 1945. She also began playing the organ and piano for Anthon Methodist Church.

That fall, she met Charles Lyon, who had just arrived home from World War II. In 1947, Mary Jo and Charlie were married, and they later became the parents of two children, Kathy and Jim.

In 1968, Mary Jo began taking classes at Morningside College in Sioux City. She completed her Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1972. Throughout the years, Mary Jo provided piano and organ music for Anthon Methodist Church, as well as serving as church choir director. Sharing her gift of music was one of her greatest joys in life. Mary Jo continued her mission as church musician until her husband, Charlie, passed away in 2005. At that time, she concluded 60 years of service to her church in Anthon. In August 2005, Mary Jo moved to Brookings to be near her daughter, Kathy.

Mary Jo was a loving daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. She loved animals, spending time with the people closest to her, quiet time reading the Bible, playing the piano and organ, and just being home at her house in Anthon, where she lived for 58 years. Mary Jo was a kind and gentle lady, who always trusted in the Lord, and throughout her lifetime had a sense of peace within herself and with others.

Mary Jo will be greatly missed by family and friends. She leaves behind her daughter, Kathy (Bill) Renneker of Brookings; her son, Jim (Donette) Lyon of Herrick, S.D.; five grandchildren, Jeff (Tami) Lyon of Burke, S.D., Rob (Kim) Renneker of Hanlontown, Iowa, Jon Lyon of Salem, S.D., Andrew Renneker of Willmar, Minn., and JeanAnn (Beau) Bryan of Tea, S.D.; and six great-grandchildren, Dylan, Brianna, Kacey and Kara Renneker, Lacey Lyon, and Sawyer Bryan.

If you have special memories of Mary Jo that you would like to write about and share with the family, those happy memories would be treasured always, and would be the nicest gift that you could give to the family.