On Tuesday, March 19, 2019, Virginia V. Lyons, widow of James E. Lyons, passed away in Brockton at the age of 88. Virginia V. Lyons was born on March 25, 1930 in Brockton, MA to Charles and Veronica Sviokla. Throughout her life she remained close to her (late) sister Lillian (Sviokla) Billadeau, also from Brockton.
Virginia attended school in Brockton and later, following her passion for drawing and painting, took art courses at Stonehill College, Massasoit Community College, and also studied with private art instructors. She loved all music although her favorites were Neil Diamond and the classics of her youth. She also loved her 1986 navy blue Volvo station wagon, a gift from her son in 86 which she insisted upon driving until recent years when she required nursing home care, may it rest in peace.
Virginia attended mass every week at Saint Edward’s Church in Brockton. On April 8, 1951, Virginia married decorated WWII veteran, James Edward Lyons, who later became an attorney specializing in tax law and who was also from Brockton. They raised three children, Stephen Lyons who is a trial attorney at Klieman & Lyons in Boston; (the late) Christine (Lyons) Lawrence who was a registered nurse in Boston; and Sheila Lyons who is a veterinarian who specializes in sports medicine and rehabilitation.
Virginia is also survived by nieces and nephews. Virginia worked for the telephone company in her youth, and after her children were grown, as a switchboard operator at Goddard Memorial and Cardinal Cushing Hospitals in Brockton. She loved cooking, reading biographies, gardening, and animals of every kind, especially her dog, Rex, and her first cat, Mrs. Wallace Simpson.
Neighborhood stray cats became her own and even though she struggled to come up with new names for them not one ever missed a gourmet meal and each found a soft place on her sofa. You could set your watch by the time she told you the hummingbirds would appear early each morning and again later in the afternoon to collect nectar from the bee balm plants in her garden which she watched from her window walled den. She supported veterans charities and animal welfare initiatives.
Proving that it is never too late in life to have new best friends, or to be one, when her health and quality of life was in steep decline at Baypointe Nursing Home, Virginia was extremely grateful to have the dedicated and compassionate friendship of fellow residents, Belle Williams and Robert Conrad. Private services were held at Waitt Funeral Home and burial at Calvary Cemetery took place on March 21. Virginia would appreciate it very much if anyone wishing to honor her memory would do so by carrying out an unexpected act of kindness for someone who could use it with the hope that recipients might “pay it forward” or simply have a better day and perhaps a happier outlook on life.
She would continue to do it herself but she is now busy reuniting with love ones and exploring the universe.
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