Melinda Lyons Obituary
A proud graduate of Michigan State University, Melinda met her beloved husband, Donald Lyons, a loyal Northwestern Wildcat, at a Michigan State vs. Northwestern football gathering. What began as a meeting of rival fans soon turned into a lifelong partnership that lasted 61 joyful years.
Melinda was known for her warmth, kindness, and remarkable gift for conversation. She never met a stranger and delighted in learning people's stories. She was a keen observer of nature, and found beauty in small details others might miss. Sentimental by heart, she preserved memories through her beloved scrapbooks, carefully documenting the people and moments she cherished most.
Melinda's happiest place was Macatawa, Michigan, where she spent her summers along the shores of Lake Michigan, returning year after year to the iconic red lighthouse she loved so dearly. A gifted athlete, she was a passionate water skier and a member of the Macatawa Bay Water Ski Club, as well as an accomplished figure skater.
She is survived by her loving husband, Donald Lyons; her children Kathryn Youtsey (Tom), Julia McCulloch (Owen), Matthew Lyons (Kristi), and Anne Hasenstab (Dusti); her grandchildren Adam, Brett, and Jamie Youtsey; Maggie, Colleen, and Declan McCulloch; James and Ellen Hasenstab; and her great-grandchild, Benjamin Youtsey.
The family will be holding a private service. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial remembrances in Linda's honor to the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.), Bend Chapter, where she was a cherished member and chapter officer.
Memorial contributions may be sent to:
Bend Chapter P.E.O.
c/o Chapter President – Judy Kissell
19855 SW Touchmark Way
Bend, Oregon 97702
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2 Entries
Jean Guza
February 21, 2026
Anne, we are so sorry to learn of your mom´s untimely death. Most every time a friend dies, I try to reread the following poem from Henry Van Dyke. It makes me feel just a tiny bit better. I share it with now with all of us.
The Poem
"I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, `There, she is gone.´
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me - not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, `There, she is gone,´ there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, `Here she comes!´
And that is dying..."
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Anne Hasenstab (Lyons)
February 18, 2026
"Do not mourn the loss of the flame, but celebrate how brightly it glowed."
We found these words in your desk drawer a few days after you passed. It felt like you were still caring for us, still gently guiding our hearts even in our grief.
Any time I was hurting, you would always offer your "mama hand," a quiet promise that I wasn´t alone. I will always be grateful that I was able to be at your bedside and offer you my hand as you passed.
I will miss your sweet smile and your sassy, playful competitiveness. I will miss the way you called out to cats like they were old friends and how you said "gluten" so many times a day that we couldn´t help but laugh.
Mama, my heart is shattered. We lost you way too soon and way too tragically. And yet, even in the midst of this grief, I am in awe of the boundless love you gave and the love that now surrounds us because of you.
I promise to carry forward your thoughtfulness, your curiosity, and your light. Your spirit will live in me, always. I love you Mom.
Love,
Your Youngest
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