Mary Veronica Ketchum Lyon

Mary Veronica Ketchum Lyon, age 61 of Prattville, Alabama, joined her Heavenly Father on Saturday morning, April 1, 2023, at Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery, Alabama. She was surrounded by loved ones as she departed her earthly home for her heavenly home.
Services celebrating Mary's well-lived life will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Prattville Memorial Chapel at 1:00 pm CT, with a graveside service to follow immediately in the adjoining Memory Gardens. Dr. Peyton Hill of First Baptist Church of Prattville will officiate. The family will receive friends on Saturday at Prattville Memorial Chapel one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
The following was written by Mary. Her wish was that this be shared on the occasion of her heavenly homecoming.
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My name is Mary Veronica Ketchum Lyon, but my family and hometown friends knew me by my nickname, "Fritzi". My Daddy came up with that when I was a toddler in Texas. My brother Mark and I would get into trouble, like trying to climb the steel Venetian blinds on the Naval Base home where we lived. Daddy named us after the Comic Strip "The Katzenjammer Kids". My brother Mark was "Hans" and I was "Fritz". Well, Mark's nickname did not "stick" and Daddy thought that "Fritz" was not feminine enough, so he added an "i" to it, making it "Fritzi". That is how I got my nickname and boy did it stick. When I crossed the stage at my high school graduation to accept my diploma, the entire audience's jaws dropped when they heard my beautiful given name, "Mary Veronica Ketchum". After I began college, the professors required the use of my legal name and thus my name became known thereafter as "Mary". I was named after my Mom's best friend in her early nursing career, Sister Mary Veronica, a nun. I actually got to meet the good Sister when I visited Arkansas in the 1980's. She was the head of the computer department at a very large hospital.
It is very important to please include in this obituary that I was a sinner saved by God's grace. That I do love my daughter, my friends from school and from Ripley who have been so kind to me and kept in touch with me. I treasure my close friends Melinda Walden, Pamela Hill, and Paula Hatcher Stewart, Lawrence (Honorary Pall Bearer) and Cathy Ambrose of Jackson, Mississippi. These are my prayer warrior friends who are my sisters from another mister and who is my brother from another mother.
I love my family. I have to brag about my cousin Ken for a minute. I am so proud of my cousin Colonel Ken Nance (Honorary Pall Bearer) who was recently inducted into the U.S. Army Federal Officer Candidate School Army Hall of Fame at Fort Benning. Ken is a hero to his family, (he gave one of his kidneys to his father-in-law), as well as a credit to our country through his service in the Army. He is blessed with a loving family and Sully the Warrior Canine.
God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have been a huge part of my life. I don't think I could have made it through the years I had to go through without their divine love, guidance, protection and salvation. The Holy Spirit was with me through it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly. When I
was so ready to cash in and "call this life a day", Jesus and the Holy Spirit rebuilt my injured body, my crushed mind, and weary soul. For the perfect love of Jesus had been given to me and I have believed in Him and accepted His gift of salvation and an eternal home with Him.
Music has been a part of my life. All told, I played the French horn for 48 of my 61 years. I played my French horn with fellow orchestra members from Frazer United Methodist Church of Montgomery, Alabama; fellow Prattville Pops Concert Band members, fellow Capitol Sounds Concert Band of Montgomery, Alabama, I have played my French horn with the Alabama Horns of Montgomery, AL, often playing the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Montgomery Biscuits baseball home games. I played French horn from 5th grade through my senior semester at Ole Miss in the Pride of the South band. I have played my French horn on the stage of the Davis Theater in Montgomery, in area church Sanctuaries and civic events in Montgomery, Prattville and Pike Road, Alabama. Throughout school I played French horn in concert season and a Mellophone in marching season on the field and in the Fair Parade, and the numerous bone chilling Christmas parades while performing in Oxford, Booneville, and Ripley, Mississippi. While at Northeast Mississippi Junior College of Booneville, I played and marched on the field at every junior college in the state of Mississippi. I also played in the Momus Parade at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Independence Bowl in 1983, where I performed the half time show on the field in the rain while marching backwards while playing my Mellophone being careful not to let my foil wrapped hot dog (my supper) fall out of my uniform.
I spent countless years singing Alto in many church choirs. I sang with my fellow Alto's from the Montgomery Chorale of which I sang one season, and with my fellow Alto's in the Mass Gospel Choir that backed up Babbie Mason in Carnegie Hall in New York City in January of 2010, where I sang as an Alto with the singers from First Baptist Church of Prattville, Alabama's group.
Art has been a happy part of my life. From an early age, I was encouraged to draw and paint. My Maw Maw Ketchum was an artist. She and I spent lots of time talking about painting and sharing our work with each other. My art teacher Mrs. Cotton in Ripley Elementary School was my favorite teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about arts and crafts. In my senior year at Ripley High School, I created a "Seascape" that won 2nd Place in the Delta State Art Contest.
Memberships and Honors: I am a Member-at-Large in the Daughters of the American Revolution (John May was my 5th Great Grandfather); Lifetime Alumni of the University of Mississippi; Lifetime Alumni of NEMJC in Booneville, MS; School Spirit Award Winner of 1979 at Ripley High School, Ripley, MS; and the Honor of being a mother.
I was predeceased by my mother, Dorothy Jean Jamieson Ketchum, known by her nickname "Dot"; my father, Dr. Thomas Lowell Ketchum; and my older brother Mark Jamieson Ketchum.
I am leaving behind: One adult daughter, Elizabeth Grace Smith Campbell of Atlanta, GA (spouse Jordan); My husband, John Alfred Lyon of Prattville, AL.; and Two wonderfully sweet and faithful dogs, Boone my Labradoodle (age 12 years), and Lola my Beagle (age around 12 years) whose love has been a true solace to me.
My Heavenly Home is my new address. There I have been reunited with my Momma Lois and Ray Orsborn and with my Poppa Jamieson, the grandfather I never knew. I am with my Aunt Addie May Jamieson, Aunt Frances and Uncle Clayton Wammack; and my Aunt Glenn and Uncle Jesse V. Jamieson. My MawMaw and PaPa Ketchum, my Mom and brother Mark are in Heaven, too.
I am hopeful that I will be reunited with my dogs in heaven including Darlin Houdini and Jake my Golden Retriever and Scout. I sure hope there are animals in Heaven, for I will long for the day when I see my faithful dogs Boone the Labradoodle and Lola my Beagle again. They have been my angels with fur.
I am content and at peace, resting in the arms of my Lord Jesus. I hope you know Him. Jesus loves you so much that He died for you and me. He is God's only Son. If you believe in Jesus, repent of your selfish and sinful life, confess you were wrong, that you want to ask Jesus into your life and sit on the throne of your heart and soul; ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. When you ask Jesus into your heart, He will save you. Believe, confess, repent, and then accept God's gift of eternal life with Him in Heaven. I hope to see you there, my friends. Love always to you and yours.