Herbert Lyon
August 05, 1942 - July 22, 2022
Obituary
FITCHBURG- Herbert Charles (Herb) Lyon passed away in Madison, Wisconsin on July 22, 2022, after a brief illness.
Lyon was born in 1942 in Galesville, Wisconsin. Raised on a farm in Trempealeau County, he was a standout student, active member of the 4-H club, and participant in speech competitions. Lyon was proud of his roots, often sharing stories of his family and rural upbringing. He married his college friend, Carol R. Lyon (Sylvester) in 1967 in Merrill, Wisconsin.
Lyon’s journey took him across Wisconsin, the United States, the world, and, eventually, back to his home state. He graduated summa cum laude from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Philosophy. During his junior year, Lyon was a student at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He was a Danforth Fellow at the University of Michigan where he received a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Mathematics. While a graduate student, he spent summers teaching at Dillard University in Louisiana.
Throughout his four-decade career, Lyon served in various academic and leadership positions. He taught at the University of Michigan Flint and Ann Arbor and served as: Academic Dean at Huron College and Northland College; founding Director of the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos; and Chancellor of Anchorage Community College (Alaska) and Black Hawk College (an Illinois community college). Lyon finished his career as Professor of Mathematics at Black Hawk College and retired in 2007. In retirement he enjoyed leading and serving on North Central Association of Colleges accreditation teams.
During Lyon’s career he held several international assignments. He was a Fulbright Professor and UNESCO Scientific Expert at the University of Jordan, a Fulbright Scholar in the People's Republic of China, and a Fulbright Professor at the University of Qatar. He was also a Visiting Professor at the University of Indiana for the Universiti Teknologi MARA in Malaysia.
Lyon was a kind, humble, gregarious, energetic, and inquisitive man who did not focus on his accomplishments, but rather emphasized fundamental respect, decency, dialogue, collaboration, and engagement with all people, regardless of background. He was a staunch proponent of higher education, international education, community colleges, civil rights, and environmentalism. An outdoors enthusiast, Lyon was a jogger and angler in earlier years and an avid kayaker and bicyclist in retirement.
Lyon retired living between Las Cruces, New Mexico and Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Recently, he and Carol settled in the Madison area. Lyon focused on travelling across the country and world with his wife and grandchildren, tackling highly complex mathematical problems, researching genealogy, and bicycling. He was abundantly proud of his grandchildren, delighting in assisting them with their homework and encouraging their interests. Lyon was a member of Memorial United Church of Christ in Fitchburg.
Lyon was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Ethel Lyon; and his sister, Joan Swalve. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Carol R. Lyon; his children, Margot J. Lyon (David Bolton) and Peter C. Lyon (Arjana Olldashi); his grandchildren, Elijah, Arden and Nora; his sisters, Ruth Buswell (Charles) and Sara Christian (Donald); his brother-in-law, Lloyd Swalve (Linda); and his sister-in-law, Louise Thompson (Gary). He will be remembered by several nieces, nephews, cousins and their families. Moreover, Lyon treasured friends, colleagues, collaborators, and students from each stage in his journey.
In light of Herb’s passion for education and the environment, the family requests that those who wish to express sympathy consider making a donation in Herb’s memory to: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources (specific fund: Treehaven-Tree Endowment): UWSP Foundation, Old Main, Suite 134, 2100 Main Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481 or online: https://give.uwsp.edu/give-now.
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