We mournfully announce the passing of Pat Lyon, 87, on April 22, 2023, after a brief illness. Survived by daughters Cheryl, Bee, Debbie, a sister Marjory, a brother Roger, stepdaughter Liz and numerous nieces and nephews. Survived by grandchildren: Chris, Bobby, Jennifer, Monica, Michelle, Robbie, Charity, Casandra, Misty, Michael, Amanda, Pamela and Kristina.  Prayers to the kind souls who adopted Pat as family, Patrick and Jennifer and the thoughtful neighbors Hope and David who kept a watchful eye.

Survived by great & great-great grandchildren:  Jessica, Chris, Kyle, Abrianna, Brielle, Josiah, Diego, Brittany, Mia, Kattelynn, Izhar, Angelina, Michael Jr., Kaylee, Keira, Dreyden, Ethan, Alex, Christopher, Natalie, Sean, Tyler, Ryan, Sean Jr, Silas, Noah, Violet, Kale, Christopher Jr, Brady, Robbin, Evelyn, Piper, Isabella, Able, Haven, Tabbitha, Jacob, Sabbrina, Bobbie, Jason, Liam, Willow, Wyatt, Devin, Jeffrey, Scarlett, Nikita, Liane, Angelo, Alicia, Peter, and Kristin.

Predeceased by spouses, two sons, a grandchild and two great-grandchildren.

A Colorado native, born in rural Colorado (near Vernon & Wray).  Pat attended one room schoolhouses till graduation from high school. Soon after graduating from Alta Vista in 1953, married high school sweetheart then moved to Colorado Springs where they lived, worked and raised their children. 

Never having much money to spare, as a parent it was more about doing things together than retail entertainment. The children learned a lot about Colorado by experiencing what it has to offer for free.  Adventures and picnics to local parks like Garden of the Gods, Palmer Park, Memorial Park and the “cheese park” along with exploring, camping and harvesting pinon nuts from the Colorado mountains.

Their children have many memories of tubing on the flooded streets of Colorado Springs and returning home to being greeted with a smile and hot chocolate & popcorn. Family bundling up together on a bed and watching TV while a storm was brewing outside or when we were sick and couldn’t go to school. All other times, it was “go outside to play, stay close and come in before dark”.

Pat let us experience raising chickens, rabbits and vegetable gardens for food.  Pat gave us control of a large shed which allowed us during summer months to use it as a clubhouse where the older siblings taught science classes about weather & cloud formation, raising Guinea pigs, training white rats, snake identification, caterpillars to butterflies and tadpoles to frogs’ transformations.

Pat ingrained in all of us the values of being self-sufficient, responsible for our actions and respectful. Despite what others may tell you, always strive to do what is the right thing to do, not what is the easiest or most beneficial for you. Some of the well taught lessons we learned were, you must earn your way in life because there is “no such thing as a free lunch” plus “pinch your pennies and when they scream pinch them harder”.  A humble and quiet person, when spoken to you knew it would be something kind or something you needed to listen to carefully.

Pat’s choice of readings was the local newspaper or Louis L’amour and Zane Gray novels.  When the TV was on, it typically was either on the news or on a channel that showed westerns all day.  Late in retirement Pat obtained the most enjoyment playing penny and occasionally quarter slot machines in Cripple Creek. In summer Cripple Creek casinos on average were strolled through once a week, in winter maybe once a month. This all changed during the start of the pandemic in 2020, when life as we knew it shifted especially for the elderly.

Per Pat’s wishes, there will be no public services held.