Jean P. Lyons

Jean Pakka Lyons died on Thursday, February 23, 2017.  Preceded in death by her dear sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis (Howard) Eicher, her brothers-in-law, Thomas Mahaney, Sr., Harold (Rocky) Rockwell, Sr., Charles Holmes and Carl Eicher, her special niece, Susan Lyons, and her dear cousin, Carl Jacobson.  She is survived by her husband of fifty years, Eugene, and her two adored sons, Kevin and David, her brother-in-law Marvin (Florence) Lyons, her sisters-in-law, Margaret Rockwell, Wilma Mahaney, Carolyn Holmes, and Shirley Eicher, and her cousin, Gail Jacobson, as well as her younger sister, Helen Kay (Marvin) Tollefson.  She has many nieces and nephews, all of whom she adored, and her beautiful church family. 

Born as the middle daughter of Edward and Mary (Jacobson) Pakka in Newberry, MI on August 24, 1932, her family’s life was upturned with the surprise death of her father in 1938, when Jean was six years old.  Her devoted mother held the family together by taking two jobs, and her older sister, Phyllis (Honey), took over the household. As the defining moment in what kind of women her daughters would become, her mother’s faith in action modeled for the girls how tragedy can become a blessing.  Jean lived blessed – always thinking about what she could do to make someone else’s life happier.  Mostly, within the church, but also within the community, she organized and developed many programs that benefited the people whom she loved.  Jean loved everyone.

In the last months, as she has struggled to swallow, she has met the challenges of life, just as she learned from her mother.  She carried herself with utmost bravery and dignity so that she might model for her sons and church family how a blessing lies underneath each experience in life.

She will be achingly missed by her husband and sons and by those whom she loved.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Faith Lutheran Church’s Memorial Fund or to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, The Eugene G. Lyons and Jean P. Lyons Donor Advisory Fund.

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