Virginia Marie Lyons, age 96, was born in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, and was a Des Moines resident for 89 years. She passed away peacefully at Mercy Hospice on February 19, 2022. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., on Friday, February 25, 2022, at Highland Memory Gardens.
Her life was devoted to family, friends, and church. It was her greatest desire to be remembered in the context of the people she loved.
She remained close to all her extended family, those living here and across the country. Some of the special people in her life were her biological mother, Dorothy, and Virginia’s two brothers and two sisters. She was especially close to her eldest sister Marti who was as a schoolgirl provided love and protection for all of them.
Her foster parents, Wylie (Daddy) and Hilda (Mom) Wellborn brought her into a loving home when she was 10. She remembered all her time in that family with great joy.
Her husband was her high school sweetie Ted Lyons. They married during WWII when he was in the service and brought up their family in Des Moines. Their three children are daughter Kathy and sons Jeff (Katy) and Rick (Sherrie), and daughter by choice Mary Ann (Jack).
Her children’s families, including her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and their spouses were a great pleasure to Virginia. She spent many hours on Facebook keeping up with their activities.
She wanted her family to focus on happy times.
Her baptism at age 10 along with her Mom Wellborn at University Christian Church.
Her wedding to soldier husband Ted in the middle of WWII.
The birth of her beloved children.
Road trips, camping weekends, 4th of July family reunions, singing with the “Hits and Mrs.” choral group, and weekly square dancing nights.
Her interests included home decorating, fashion, tap dancing, and more recently, arranging flowers for the common areas at her AHEPA apartment complex.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to New Beginnings Christian Church in Urbandale.
