John Thomas Lyon

John Thomas Lyon, Jr., age 93, of Harrisonburg, passed away Friday, January 19, 2024, at Sunnyside Presbyterian Retirement Community in Harrisonburg.
John was born September 21, 1930, to the late John and Clara Pember Lyon in Rochester, Vermont. He is also preceded in death by two sisters, Dawn (Schofield) of Orange City, FL, and Wilma (Coogan) of New Paltz, NY.
John did his undergraduate studies at University of New Hampshire, earning a bachelor's degree in music education. He later completed his Master of Music degree at Columbia University and earned his PhD from Indiana University. Following teaching appointments at West Virginia Tech and Tarkio College, John began his tenure as a professor of music at James Madison University in 1965, teaching for thirty years before retiring in 1995. At various times he taught voice lessons, directed choirs, and taught music education classes there.
In 1955, he married Joyce Ann Glascock, who survives him. Also surviving him are their four children, Thomas (Wren) of Ann Arbor, Michigan; James (Carol) of State College, Pennsylvania; David (Cynthia) of Austin, Texas; and Catherine (Ioannis) Papayannopoulos of Ashland, Massachusetts. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Clara, Elizabeth, Emily, Nicholas, Anthi, Thanos, and Julia; and one great-grandchild, Dominic.
John loved music and served as the pianist and choir director at Trinity Presbyterian Church, where he was a member for sixty-seven years. He was also choir director at Bridgewater Presbyterian Church for several years and loved teaching private piano lessons for talented area youth. Later in life John discovered a passion for genealogy. He traced his family and his wife's family back many centuries, traveling to many European countries to research family records. He published three books about his research. After retirement he also volunteered at the Free Clinic and read the newspaper to the blind over the radio.
John will be remembered for his beautiful tenor voice, his quick smile, his love of puns, his outgoing personality, and his love of family and friends.
A viewing will be held at Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg from 6-8 p.m., on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. A graveside service will be conducted on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at Eastlawn Memorial Gardens followed by a Memorial Service/Celebration of Life at Trinity Presbyterian Church at 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church.