Francis Lyon

Francis Lyon died peacefully in the loving presence of his daughter in law Beverly Jean Lyon on October 20. Fran leaves behind 3 sons, David, Mark and Dan, along with a grandson, Daniel Christopher Lyon and granddaughter Kathryn Grace Patterson.

Fran's story is extraordinary because at 97, along with the last number of years, he played an integral role in the lives of young men with whom who he taught weekly bible lessons to for the last 6 years, the last one being in September.

Fran was a lifelong Fairfield resident, born March 28th, 1927. His home was located at 620 Valley Road with few amenities in a rural setting. A World War ll veteran, he was a mechanic in the Army Air Corps, stationed at Keesler field Mississippi. He told us he enjoyed his time in the service, even the food, which says something about just one of the difficult circumstances he faced in early years. 

In 1952, Fran married Alice Barbara Midney, who grew up in Bridgeport Connecticut. Alice and Fran met at the Ritz ballroom in Bridgeport. Both were fine dancers. In 1953 they bought a home and raised their sons at Ryegate road in Fairfield. At the end of Alice’s life, Fran was an exceptional care giver until she passed away peacefully in 2014.

The majority of Fran's work life was spent in sales for electrical components, including innovative remote control technologies that earned him a trip to Hawaii with Alice. Together they traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East, capturing their travels with slide shows.

Fran's true passion was as a self-taught bible scholar. He recently recognized at Black Rock Congregational church in Fairfield this past May of 2024 for his 57 years of continuous teaching. In the last years Fran embraced the gospel message of spiritual freedom through forgiveness and redemption tying both the old and New Testaments to bring his message.

Fran will be missed by those who knew and loved him. In the last 3 weeks of his life, he was surrounded by friends and family with a steady stream of visitors. All were acknowledged and thanked by Fran for their love and embrace. Services for Fran will be held on Saturday, November 9, at 11AM in the sanctuary of Black Rock Congregational Church, 685 Black Rock Tpke, Fairfield, CT 06825.