Gilbert E. Lyon, 83, of Hanson died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 8, 2010. Mr. Lyon was born in Brockton to the late Bernice (Monkevicz) Lyon and Edward F. Lyon of Brockton. He was a descendant of three Mayflower passengers, Isaac Allerton, Thomas Rogers and Francis Cooke. He attended Brockton public schools and left high school to join the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he served as a member of the Armed Guard in the Mediterranean and North Africa. After the war, Mr. Lyon graduated from the Boston School of Art and worked as a graphic artist at Ocean Spray in Hanson for nearly 25 years and the George F. Berkander Company in Providence for 20 years. Sept. 25, 1949, Mr. Lyon married Mary E. DaSilva of Whitman, who survives him, at Holy Ghost Church in Whitman. He was a longtime parishioner at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Hanson. Last fall, the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. He had lived in Hanson for 43 years. Mr. Lyon was an avid sportsman and a talented gunsmith. He was an active member of the Hanson Rod and Gun Club and a committed member of the National Rifle Association. Mr. Lyon was active in the community. He served as an auxiliary policeman in Whitman and a volunteer firefighter in Hanson. He was a longtime member of the Hanson Conservation Commission. Mr. Lyon also was active locally in the Boy Scouts of America. Mr. Lyon loved to read and was an amateur historian, often sharing his wisdom at dinner table seminars with family, friends and anyone else that would listen or with the patient staff at the Hanson Public Library, one of his favorite places to visit. Nothing delighted Mr. Lyon more than to give a book to someone, no matter how short the acquaintance. Mr. Lyon is also survived by two sons, Kevin, who works for the State Department at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and his wife Azize; and Christopher, who works as a political consultant in New York; and three grandchildren, Anne, who attends Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Michael, who attends Cleveland State University in Ohio, and Reagan, who attends the St. Marys-St. Alphonsus School in New York. The wake for Mr. Lyon will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at the Blanchard Funeral Chapel, Plymouth Street (Rte. 58 at the rotary), Whitman. The funeral is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday, May 14, at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Hanson. Mr. Lyon will be buried at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Friday, May 14, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Hospice of South Shore, 100 Bay State Drive, Braintree. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.blanchardfc.com.


Published in The Enterprise on May 11, 2010