Michael Milton Lyon

On the afternoon of February 16, 2026, Mike passed away at Shands Hospital, Gainesville Florida, in the presence of loving family, friends, and caring hospital staff, after a long battle with cancer. He was 47 years old.

Michael Milton Lyon was born on January 3, 1979, in Tawas City, Michigan. He was the second child and first son of Lois Ann Lyon (Pelc) and Gail William Lyon, then of Oscoda, Michigan. From a young age, he was passionate about art, earning awards for his oil painting work even as a child. Outside of school, he spent his free time with neighborhood friends, and watching movies with his big sister. Two favorites were The Blues Brothers and Airplane!, which they watched hundreds of times. In 1993, the family moved to Sumter, South Carolina, where Michael graduated high school with academic honors in 1997. He then earned an associates degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Central Carolina Technical College, and moved on to the University of South Carolina for a Bachelors in Business Administration. He worked for a time as a brick mason for a construction company, but health problems kept him from working long-term. In 2004 he moved to The Villages, Florida, with his parents after they retired.

After several years of declining health due to cystic fibrosis, in 2017, Mike received a double lung transplant. His health improved and he was able to be more active, joining community groups for meditation, Bible study, and health support. He spent time advising prospective transplant patients on what to expect during the process, and spoke to people with respiratory conditions on how to keep up with their treatments. Mike savored German food and Oktoberfest beer, and enjoyed going to German festivals and restaurants. He loved sports, especially football, baseball, and Japanese sumo wrestling. His favorite teams were the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Browns, both of which he saw play in person many times. He was also a numismatist, and was particularly interested in star notes and $2 bills.

Throughout his life, Mike maintained a wide network of friends. He cared deeply for those he loved, devoted and loyal to friends old and new. He also had a soft spot for animals, especially his pet bunnies Charlie and Booboo, and his calico cat Waffle. Mike’s family and friends will remember him as honest, dependable, and true to his values.

Michael was preceded in death by his father, Gail Lyon, his aunt Mary Ellen Harmon of Ravenna, Michigan, his grandparents and other extended family members. He is survived by his mother, Lois Lyon of The Villages, Florida,, his sister Susan Lyon of Woodbridge, Virginia, an uncle William Baldwin of Jacksonville, Florida, and several cousins and other extended family members.