Mrs. Eddie Lee Lyons "Mama Lyons"
Funeral Services for Mrs. Eddie Lee Ward Lyons, lovingly called “Mama Lyons,” will be held Saturday, May 8, 2021, at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Harmony Baptist Church Clifton E. Lewis Family Life Center in Ruston. She departed this life on April 26, 2021.
Mama Lyons was born to the union of Leroy and Virginia Ward on July 12, 1927 in Mangham, Louisiana. After the unexpected death of Leroy, Virginia married Archie Gardner, and together they raised Mama Lyons and her six siblings in a very loving home. She spent her early years in Mangham and Rayville, Louisiana. She completed her secondary education in Rayville, where she excelled academically. With her parents’ blessings, she attended then Grambling College and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, which made her the first college graduate in her family.
On March 30, 1950, Mama Lyons married Bill Lyons of Ruston, Louisiana, and they became the proud parents of two children, Michael and Connie. For 46 years, Mama Lyons was a loving and devoted wife until Bill’s demise in 1996.
An ardent advocate of education, she commuted for years from Ruston to Rayville, where she enjoyed a long and rewarding 27-year career in the Richland Parish School System as a classroom teacher at Eula D. Britton and Rayville Elementary schools. Even after retirement, she continued to significantly and positively impact the lives of countless students as a teacher at Paul E. Slaton Head Start Center and the Lincoln Parish School District.
When her son that she affectionately called Coach Lyons opened Dan-De-Lyons Day Care Center in Ruston, Mama Lyons became the Director and along with her devoted daughter Mrs. Connie, they successfully educated countless students for approximately 30 years. Students who have become successful in their professional careers, corporate, teachers, professional athletes, including an executive vice president.
Mama Lyons held many things near and dear to her heart especially her family and her love for teaching. It goes without saying her passion for children whom she always called “Her Babies”. But nothing was more important to her than her love for God. Mama Lyons accepted Christ into her life at a very young age. She was a member of St. David Missionary Baptist Church located in Vienna, Louisiana. As a Mother of the Church, she held numerous positions such as: Deaconess, Director of Vacation Bible School, Member of the Hattie Colvin Missionary Circle, Church Announcer, Church Secretary, and Honorary Choir Member.
Waiting to greet her in Glory are her husband, mother, father, stepfather, brothers, sisters, granddaughter, god-daughter and grand god-daughters.
Holding cherished memories that will warm them when they are cold, fill them when they are empty, and cheer them when they are sad are:
Michael Allyn Lyons (Minnie Langer); her daughter Connie Lyons Manning (Ozzie); her grandson, who she raised as a son, Jermanus Lyons (April); her granddaughter,who she raised as her daughter, Jeralyn Williams Sims; her godson, who she called her grandson, Boris J. Braggs (Cassandra); her grandchildren: Heather Moore- Dupree (Fredrick), Darryl Lyons, Hailey Moore; her sister Dicye Ward Williams; her great grandchildren: Trysten Dupree, Destiny Jenkins, Tatyana Jenkins, Carlos Jenkins Jr., Darryl Delano Lyons, Dagon Delano Lyons, Deanthony Lyons, Jermanus Lyons Jr., Jurnee Sims, Kelsey Wilson; her great-great grandchildren: Kentrell Brice Jr., Najee Spivey Jr., Ava McMillan, Ashton Wilson; a niece that she affectionately called her daughter Virginia Lewis (Richard); and other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
