Mary Keough Lyman

We are saddened by the passing of our beloved mother Mary Keough Lyman. She was born in Iowa City, Iowa on April 26, 1949. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend to all. Her kindness and generosity were hallmarks of her personality. She will be deeply missed. She had a remarkable life from teaching in the Inner City of Houston, to living in Paris, London, Iowa City, Los Angeles and finally La Jolla (among many other cities in her youth). She was a great patron of the arts from collecting art to being instrumental in moving the Joffrey Ballet to Chicago, where it flourished. She was asked to be the Interim Director of the University of Iowa Museum of Art, her alma mater, at which she excelled. She was a Trustee of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet and the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art for years. She was a great philanthropist, donating her time, effort and money to the many causes that were important to her. She always said she believed in leaving the world in a better place than the one she was born into, and she undoubtedly succeeded at that. She is survived by many friends, her children Mike and Lydia, their spouses, Siby and Steven, whom she thought of as her children. She was a devoted grandmother to her three grandchildren, Eloise, Carter and Spencer, whom she loved deeply, and they loved her equally. We are honored to celebrate her remarkable life. We know that she is resting in Heaven with her loved ones, while she looks upon her family with love, pride and excitement to see where their life’s journeys will take them.

We love you Mom.