Leslyn Ryan Lyons
September 8, 1931- November 28, 2025
It is with great sadness and loss that we announce the passing of Leslyn Lyons on Friday, November 28, 2025. She was born Leslyn Alice Swall on September 8, 1931 in Berkeley, California to parents Alice Luella Crippen from Petrolia and Leslie Cyril Swall from Arroyo Grande. Leslyn was proud to be a 4th generation native Californian with a long legacy of family in Humboldt and San Luis Obispo Counties. Her father died in 1938 and she was blessed with a caring step-father, Paul Ryan. Leslyn was especially close to her sister, Patricia Swall Roberts (Bill), who she missed terribly since her passing in 1999.
Leslyn married James Arthur Hayes Jr. in 1950 and they had five sons, Michael Paul (1951-2024) of Sacramento, William Arthur of Carizzozo, NM, David Ryan (1957-2001) of Sunnyvale, and twins Matthew James (Valerie) of Cupertino and Robert John, of Sunnyvale. Leslyn and Jim were busy parents of 5 boys and could be found leading Boy Scout outings, ski trips with Trinity Methodist Church youth groups, at Little League games, and she kept up with all those boys on the ski slopes and hiking trails on their many high adventure family trips. Leslyn was the life of the party and made every event special for those in her company.
Leslyn was the best grandmother and had a close relationship with her 8 grandchildren, Brandy Youhouse (Shane) of USVI, Jennifer Gilda (Chris) of Petrolia and Eureka, Santana Hayes (Shawn) of South Carolina, Emily Perinoni (Anthony) of South Dakota, Kevin Hayes of San Francisco, Brandon Hayes (Heather) of Redwood City, Lauren Hayes of Sunnyvale, and Zachary Hayes of San Diego. Leslyn was blessed with 8 great-grandchildren: Makinna, Trent, Mason, Nolan, Oliver, Tabitha, Remy and Emmett.
Leslyn was a very special person, with friends from every time in her life, from childhood friends and cousins, nieces and nephews, high school friends from Balboa High in San Francisco, to life-long friends. The children of her closest friends remained in contact with her till the end, visiting and sitting with her till her last day. Leslyn was loved by the residents and staff at Sunrise of Cupertino, where she lived the last two years and was a founding member of the community. Leslyn loved participating in all the activities, socials and fellowship she shared with her new and old friends alike. Leslyn loved gardening, her pet cats, especially Lucy, who moved with her to Sunrise. She volunteered at Kaiser Santa Clara for over 20 years. She loved theatre, both performing and watching performances. She worked for the Cupertino Union School District for over 20 years as a bus driver. It was there she met her second husband, Robert Foch Lyons. They married June 22, 1984 and she was heartbroken when he passed suddenly on the golf course just one week later. Leslyn was a fun, caring, resilient woman who loved her family and friends. She left this earth a better place and will be missed forever.
Donations in Leslyn Lyons’ name can be made as a tribute in her honor to the Alzheimer’s Association (donorservices.alz.org) or Sempervirens Fund (secure.sempervirens.org). Memorial service will be held in the near future.
September 8, 1931- November 28, 2025
It is with great sadness and loss that we announce the passing of Leslyn Lyons on Friday, November 28, 2025. She was born Leslyn Alice Swall on September 8, 1931 in Berkeley, California to parents Alice Luella Crippen from Petrolia and Leslie Cyril Swall from Arroyo Grande. Leslyn was proud to be a 4th generation native Californian with a long legacy of family in Humboldt and San Luis Obispo Counties. Her father died in 1938 and she was blessed with a caring step-father, Paul Ryan. Leslyn was especially close to her sister, Patricia Swall Roberts (Bill), who she missed terribly since her passing in 1999.
Leslyn married James Arthur Hayes Jr. in 1950 and they had five sons, Michael Paul (1951-2024) of Sacramento, William Arthur of Carizzozo, NM, David Ryan (1957-2001) of Sunnyvale, and twins Matthew James (Valerie) of Cupertino and Robert John, of Sunnyvale. Leslyn and Jim were busy parents of 5 boys and could be found leading Boy Scout outings, ski trips with Trinity Methodist Church youth groups, at Little League games, and she kept up with all those boys on the ski slopes and hiking trails on their many high adventure family trips. Leslyn was the life of the party and made every event special for those in her company.
Leslyn was the best grandmother and had a close relationship with her 8 grandchildren, Brandy Youhouse (Shane) of USVI, Jennifer Gilda (Chris) of Petrolia and Eureka, Santana Hayes (Shawn) of South Carolina, Emily Perinoni (Anthony) of South Dakota, Kevin Hayes of San Francisco, Brandon Hayes (Heather) of Redwood City, Lauren Hayes of Sunnyvale, and Zachary Hayes of San Diego. Leslyn was blessed with 8 great-grandchildren: Makinna, Trent, Mason, Nolan, Oliver, Tabitha, Remy and Emmett.
Leslyn was a very special person, with friends from every time in her life, from childhood friends and cousins, nieces and nephews, high school friends from Balboa High in San Francisco, to life-long friends. The children of her closest friends remained in contact with her till the end, visiting and sitting with her till her last day. Leslyn was loved by the residents and staff at Sunrise of Cupertino, where she lived the last two years and was a founding member of the community. Leslyn loved participating in all the activities, socials and fellowship she shared with her new and old friends alike. Leslyn loved gardening, her pet cats, especially Lucy, who moved with her to Sunrise. She volunteered at Kaiser Santa Clara for over 20 years. She loved theatre, both performing and watching performances. She worked for the Cupertino Union School District for over 20 years as a bus driver. It was there she met her second husband, Robert Foch Lyons. They married June 22, 1984 and she was heartbroken when he passed suddenly on the golf course just one week later. Leslyn was a fun, caring, resilient woman who loved her family and friends. She left this earth a better place and will be missed forever.
Donations in Leslyn Lyons’ name can be made as a tribute in her honor to the Alzheimer’s Association (donorservices.alz.org) or Sempervirens Fund (secure.sempervirens.org). Memorial service will be held in the near future.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Leslyn Lyons, please visit our flower store.
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