BOONE, Iowa—Donald James Lyons, 74, spent much of his life on his beloved family century farm north of Boone, Iowa. Don was born April 24, 1946 to Virgil and Charlotte (Parks) Lyons in Boone. He died March 24, 2021 after a 3-week fight against COVID-19 at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Monday, March 29, 2021 at the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Boone. Please wear a mask while attending services.
Don attended four years of Dodge Township country school and when it closed transferred to Boone Community Schools, graduating with the class of 1964.
Don married Teri Hopkins of Boone in March 1966. Later that year he enlisted in the US Air Force, serving until 1975 and reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant. His son, Steve, and daughter, Sheri, were born during this time and the family was stationed in Mississippi, Texas, Turkey, Thailand, and California. Following his military service Don returned to Boone to work for area farmers.
In June 1977 Don married Sandy Hanawalt, who brought her children, Milissa and Kelly, to the family. Their son, Brad, was born in 1979 and that same year the family moved out to the family farm and Don took over the farming operations from his father. For 21 years, until his retirement in June 2011, Don served as a Boone County Farm Bureau Agent in addition to farming. Since retiring he continued to farm and worked part time cleaning and calibrating precision farm equipment.
In February 2001 Don married Sondra “Sandy” Christain Baldwin and they recently celebrated their twentieth anniversary. Don and Sandy drove to several states on vacations but his favorite place to relax was the family cabin on Lake Minnewashta. Don used his building and fixing skills to make improvements on their home, barn, shop, and acreage.
Don enjoyed planting and harvest time on the farm, driving a semi, restoring tractors, his dogs, following the Hawkeyes and Cyclones, and talking farming with neighbors. He spent as much time as possible with grandchildren and was very proud of his family. He was friendly, generous, liked to joke, and found the positive in people and situations.
Survivors include his wife Sandy, sons Steve Lyons of Ogden and Brad (Nicole) Lyons of Ogden, and daughter Sheri (Mike) Spence of Waterloo. Grandchildren Tyler, Logan (Kelsey), Jace, Zach, Neveah, Qyra, and Ashlynn and three great-grandsons Rilan, Jayden, and Landon. A brother Patrick Lyons of Arnolds Park and sister Joyce (Randy) Patterson of Boone also survive. He was a special “Dad” to Shawn (Scott) Snyder, Milissa (Kris) Kline, Kelly (Tonya) Lyons. He will be missed by his wife Sandy’s children Kelley (Shain) Birchmier, Ed Baldwin, and Mike (Alyson) Baldwin and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Teri, and sister Kathleen.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Online condolences may be directed to Don’s family at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Boone Area Humane Society or to local food pantries in memory of Don Lyons.
Don Lyons, 74, Boone, Iowa
