Billy E. Lyon

Billy Emmanuel Lyon, 96, of Hagerstown, Md., passed away, Monday, December 8, 2025, at Creekside Nursing Home, Hagerstown.

Born January 6, 1929, in Martinsburg, W.Va. he was the son of the late Gilbert and Virginia Margaret (Stine) Lyon. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 51 years, Rosemary (Foster) Lyon; one son, Senior Chief Petty Officer Steven Lyon, USN (ret); one brother, Robert Lyon; one sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Alan Hinton. 

Billy was a 1947 graduate of Martinsburg High School; he received a bachelor’s degree in education from Shepherd College and a master's degree in counseling from Shippensburg University. 

He was a US Air Force veteran of the Korean War. 

Billy retired from the Washington County Public School System as a Career Studies Center Guidance Counselor. An avid historian. he taught history at Hagerstown High School, then North Hagerstown High School before becoming a guidance counselor. He spent more than ten summers as a seasonal ranger with the National Park Service at Harper's Ferry, Antietam Battlefield, and Gettysburg Battlefield.

 He was a 32nd degree Mason, a member of Friendship Lodge #84 A.F. & A.M., the Hagerstown Morris Frock American Legion # 42, then later the Funkstown American Legion #211. 

As a teenager he was a competitive amateur body builder in the Tri-State area. As an adult he was scoutmaster for Leitersburg Troop 108, he supervised the Hagerstown YMCA's Youth-In-Government Club, served as president, Washington County teachers association, was a member of numerous non-profit organizations and an active member in the Washington County democrat party.

 Billy is survived by one son Major General Charles W. Lyon, USAF (ret) and wife, Karen (Martin) Lyon; two nieces and four nephews, six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren; daughter in law, DeeAnna (Hurd) Lyon and sister-in-law, Edie (Mosier) Lyon. 

Graveside services will be conducted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 11:00 A.M. at Rest Haven Cemetery, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown with Rev. Virgil Cain officiating. Military Honors will be accorded by the Joint Base Andrews and the Joint Veterans and Marine Corps League Honor Guard. 

Friends will be received at Rest Haven Funeral Home at 10:00A.M., prior to the graveside service where a Masonic memorial service will be conducted by Friendship Lodge #84 A.F.& A.M. at 10:45 A.M.