Obituary of James U. Lyons

James U. Lyons passed away on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at home with his devoted daughter, Katie, by his side. He was born Sunday June 6, 1937 in Providence, RI to Thelma (Laurie) and Bernard F. Lyons. Jim grew up in Manchester, CT, graduating from Manchester High School and then joining the United States Air Force, Strategic Air Command. During his four years, he served in Labrador, Greenland and French Morocco. Jim graduated from UCONN, after which he attended Buffalo State College. During his time in Buffalo, NY, he worked as a territory sales manager and was one of the first short-order cooks to make Buffalo Wings at the Anchor Bar. It was during this time he met the love of his life, Mary. After marrying in 1969, Jim and Mary moved to Glastonbury, CT and Jim began teaching 5th and then 4th grade at Hopewell School in town. Securing his master’s degree from CCSU, he taught hundreds of students until his retirement in 1999. He was kind, but tough, expected your best and wanted to prepare you for life. Maybe you were on the receiving end of a flying piece of chalk or eraser, possibly walked down the hall by your ear? Either way, you were better for it and he kept in contact with many of his students over the years. Jim served with the Glastonbury Volunteer Fire Department, Company #3 for over 30 years as a firefighter, EMT and CPR instructor. His fire department brothers and sisters may best remember him in the kitchen, cooking and feeding club members. Jim also worked for the Department of Public Health as an EMT instructor and chief examiner until 2022. He worked part-time at Highland Park Market in Manchester and Coventry for over 60 years where he enjoyed seeing his regular customers each week at the meat counter. Jim and Mary loved traveling the world with Mary’s Pampered Chef business. Some of their favorite trips included Greece, Australia, Costa Rica and the over 30 cruises. They most loved spending a month on Sanibel Island each year where they made many good friends over the years. Jim had many hobbies including cooking wonderful meals for his bride, being an avid birdwatcher, amassing a large collection of cookbooks and becoming a master vegetable gardener, always sharing his bounty with family and friends. He enjoyed following UCONN women’s basketball, the Boston Red Sox and especially the Buffalo Bills. His favorite hobby was fishing and he spent countless hours on the water with a fly or spinning rod in his hands in CT, RI and Sanibel at the secret spot.

In addition to daughter Katie, he is survived by his daughter Stephanie and husband Carl Stoloski of Appleton, NY; granddaughters Rebecca and Carla Stoloski of whom he was so very proud; brother David and wife Susan Lyons of Manchester, CT; sister-in-law Jane Kwieciak of Orchard Park, NY; sister-in-law Christine Sanderson of Las Vegas, NV; brother-in-law John and wife Annette of Lancaster, PA; and many nieces and nephews who affectionately knew him as Uncle Jimmy. He was predeceased by his beloved Mary, brother Bernard, little sister Kathleen and his parents, the Old Gent and Thelma.

Please remember Pops as we will, with that twinkle in his eye and half smirk smile on his face.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 11:00 am at Ss Isidore and Maria Parish in St. Augustine Church, 55 Hopewell Rd., South Glastonbury. Friends may call at the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Jim requests any donations be made to the East Glastonbury Volunteer Fire Department, ℅ Pops Memorial, P.O. Box 121, East Glastonbury, CT 06025. From Pops, “Always keep learning and share by teaching”. The family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses at Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center and the Liver Center at Hartford Hospital, the nurses at Middlesex Hospice, especially his nurses Kathy and Sarah and his caregivers Theresa and Desmond. Thank you to his fire department family for the outpouring of love and support, not only over the past few months, but over the years. For online condolences, please visit www.mulryanfh.com.