David Alan Lyons

1972 - 2025

Lyons, David Alan
May 21, 1972 - Oct 29, 2025
David died of cancer October 29th at home surrounded by his family. To put it more accurately, his earthly body died. David, as himself, is with Jesus, awaiting a new body, healthier and more alive than he has ever been.
David grew up in the middle of the Umatilla Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. He thought of his childhood in almost idyllic terms: a large loving family with lots of adventures tromping in the woods, particularly with his younger brother. He was known, even at a young age, for his clear thinking and decision-making. When David was 14, his Dad called from a gas station 70 miles away and asked "David, I might have lost my credit card. What should I do first?" When a family friend questioned the wisdom of asking such a youngster for advice, his Dad replied, "David makes good decisions."
Upon graduating from high school (with a graduating class of 7), he applied to a University on the east coast, Washington & Lee. At first, he felt like a fish out of water in that traditional Southern environment, but soon adjusted and graduated with a finance degree, a wealth of experiences, and lifelong friendships. During those four years, he worked summers for the Forest Service back in the Umatilla Forest, doing tree stand surveys, fighting fires, and, when he was lucky, getting transported by helicopter to work as the initial attack crew for a wildfire. He loved those helicopter rides. It was at the Forest Service when he met Wendi, who also worked on his summer crew. They married after his junior year, another very good decision.
After graduation, not quite ready for working inside an office, David proposed delaying a career in finance in order to take one more turn at helicopters, this time as the pilot. Wendi agreed, so he joined the Army, ultimately serving 25 years, mostly as a pilot of the twin-rotor Chinook helicopter. David excelled in the Army, flew amazing missions, and he and Wendi loved living all over the world - Korea, Alaska, Germany, and Egypt - where they soaked up different cultures and made lasting friendships. They also shared many, many outdoor adventures including summiting mountains, backpacking adventures, epic bike rides, and kayaking among glaciers. The adventures continued when, after 20 years of marriage thinking they could not have children, to their surprise and delight God gave them a daughter, Cora, and then surprised them again with their son, Wyatt! Blessing upon blessing.
David made good decisions and lived a rich and fulfilling life, but that is not actually what is most memorable about him. David had a confidence in God, that God was real and that the Bible held truth, that informed his decisions, shaped his character, and afforded him a quiet strength. Whatever he was involved in, he possessed an unusual combination of competence, purpose, and confidence with integrity, humility, and personal ease that had a huge impact on those around him. When his family, his friends, or his work colleagues speak of David, they speak of his strength and confidence somehow extending to them; he made others better. From his youth, he kept people focused on the right thing, and they knew the right way to proceed just from being around him. His early exit from this life has left a host of people who realize how much they depended on David, how much they will miss him as well as how blessed they were to have experienced life with him. David leaves his wife and children, his parents, all of his siblings, and all of his friends. Once again, he's paving the way for others to emulate. He died the way he lived: on his own terms with a purpose and a hope in Christ.
A funeral service will be held at City Covenant Church, November 22nd, at 1pm, followed by a reception celebrating remembrances of David.