Debra A. Lyons

Debra A. (Russell) Lyons, passed away the morning of April 9, 2010, in her home in the ocean-aired neighborhood of Manomet in Plymouth. In good health at age 52, cause of death remains pending. Born in Brockton, to Joyce (Gober) and Ronald Russell, Debbie grew up in Stoughton with her brother, Ronald Jr. She graduated from Quincy College as an licensed practical nurse. Debbie always had enormous pride in her profession. Throughout her 26 years as a nurse, no one could challenge her work ethic, her compassion and her empathy for those in her care. With her friend and mentor Nancy Mathewson as her inspiration, she achieved Wound Care Certification, rare for an LPN at the time. She worked in various facets of addiction treatment and long-term residential care. She worked most recently at John Adams Healthcare in Quincy as the only wound care certified nurse on the staff. Her co-workers became her extended family. Long ago, she had overcome challenges in her life, to bring light into the lives of others. Sober for 18 years, she kept beer in her refrigerator in case friends who might want to imbibe dropped by. She felt blessed to have the best friends and neighbors anyone could ask for. She would greet them with a smile that made them smile and a hug that warmed them to the core. Everyone who knew her misses that smile. Comfortable in her being, she carefully avoided causing the slightest hurt or confusion in any other being. Asked to choose among options, she would say, Whatever you want is fine with me. That care extended to two canines, Jean Paul (Johnnie), a Jack Russell terrier, and Radar OReilly, a fox terrier. The word beloved only begins to describe her relationship with the Boston Red Sox. She followed the team to Baltimore, New York and other cities. The travel experience deepened her devotion to Fenway Park. She could hardly believe her luck at seeing her team win two world championships. Asked how she would deal with any potential problem, she would say, I dont have to worry about that. I have Betsy to take care of me. Betsy Sands, her partner of 17 years, spouse and soul mate forever is lost without her girl. Debbie leaves behind her spouse, Betsy Sands; her son, James Raymond Lyons and his wife Lauren and their three boys; her stepfather, Lloyd Jardine of Carver and Naples, Fla.; her aunts and uncles, Robert and Cathy Gober of Derry, N.H., and Naples, Fla., Tenney Capriotti of Peabody and John and Shirley Potter of New York; and many nieces and nephews. Her parents and brother predeceased her. A memorial celebration in her honor will take place at the end of May on the Plymouth coastline she loved. For more information on the memorial service and to sign an online guest book, please visit the Richard Davis Funeral Home at richarddavisfuneralhome.com or call 508-224-2252. In lieu of flowers, tax deductable donations can be made to the Deb Lyons Scholarship Fund for Wound Care Education care of Rockland Federal Credit Union, 241 Union St., Rockland, MA 02370. Through the national Wound Care Education Institute, the fund will support nurses seeking wound care certification so John Adams Healthcare can continue to have WCC nurses. Online condolences may be made at richarddavisfuneralhome.com.