Obituaries

John M Lyons

Photo of John M Lyons
John M. Lyons, a resident of Bentonville, Ark., passed away Jan. 19 following a brief battle with brain cancer. He was 53. These perfunctory details of his death do not remotely begin to convey the scope and impact of the life he led. For starters, anyone who ever met John Lyons would say that he was one of the funniest people they ever knew. He had a boundless capacity for humor and for enjoying life, and he never hesitated to express that humor or to share that enjoyment with the people he knew and loved. And that list is long, because John spread his unique approach to living to everywhere his life took him — his native Dracut, Mass., Chicago (where he met and married his beautiful wife, the former Jacqui Cowles) and ultimately Bentonville. First and foremost among the many accomplishments of John's life is his relationship with Jacqui, and the two kids they brought into the world: Jack (age 7) and Jillian (age 4). Those who loved John can take comfort in the fact that his legacy of happiness and humor will live on through them. Before John was a husband and father, he was the son of John ("Jack") and Angela (Gallagher) Lyons of Dracut, as well as the sibling of two sisters — Christine (wife of Ed Alicea) and Jennifer (wife of Todd Whitney) — and a brother, Thomas. Survivors additionally include his mother-in-law Bonnie Cowles; father-in-law Curt Cowles and his wife Joanne; many nieces, one nephew, and a range of aunts, uncles and cousins; and countless dear friends in Chicago, Dracut, Arkansas and other points across the globe. John was born Jan. 13, 1964 in Lowell, Mass. A graduate of Dracut High School's class of 1982, he received his Bachelor of Science-Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 1987. John was an employee of Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville; he was also an accomplished sailor, a connoisseur of well-crafted cocktails and a fan of the New England Patriots and Chicago Cubs. The fact that John died at such a criminally young age is heartbreaking. But even as he bravely faced the illness that ended his life, he was still able to maintain and exude his true character and his sense of humor, and he left behind so many funny memories that it should just take anyone who knew him a brief moment to think of one — and to smile and laugh at the levity, hilarity and happiness John brought to us all. A celebration of John's life will be held this spring in Chicago. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either of the following organizations that were instrumental in providing John comfort and care during his last days: Circle of Life Hospice Care, nwacircleoflife.com, or the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, ric.org. Condolences: www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.

Published January 22, 2017

Upcoming Events