James Floyd Lyon

1929‐2025 | Obituary

Conroe, TX—James Floyd Lyon Jr. (Jim) passed away peacefully on Saturday March 8th, 2025.

Jim was born in Plain Dealing, Louisiana on June 16, 1929, to James Floyd Lyon Sr. and Caroline Hickman Lyon. He grew up in Plain Dealing and Benton before graduating from Bossier City High School in 1946. Jim attended LSU for two years and then joined the US Air Force in 1950, went to electronic school in Biloxi and served during the Korean War in Wyoming building seismic stations to monitor nuclear tests. In 1953, Jim started flight school and purchased a single engine Luscombe airplane along with a few of his friends. After the Air Force he returned to LSU and graduated in 1957 with a degree in Forestry.

After LSU, Jim worked for Crown Zellerbach in Hammond, Louisiana and often visited his Aunt Mae and Uncle Julius O’Quinn in Tylertown, Mississippi. On one of those trips, he was introduced to Ruby Whitehead, Aunt Mae’s good friend’s boarder, and it was love at first sight. Ruby was studying for her Master’s degree at LSU at the time. After just a few months, Jim and Ruby were married on February 9, 1963 and later moved to Many, LA in 1967 where Jim worked for Boise Southern which later became Boise Cascade.

While in Many, they raised their family and Jim enjoyed woodworking hobbies, such as, building furniture and carving duck decoys, painting, horseback riding and hunting quail with his bird dogs. Upon retirement, much of his time was spent traveling to see grandchildren and in 2002, they moved to Magnolia, TX to live closer to grandchildren and family.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife Ruby Whitehead Lyon in 2013. He is survived by his daughter and son and their spouses: Judy and Steve Moses of Houston, TX and James Floyd Lyon III (Jimmy) and Donell of The Woodlands, TX and five grandchildren; Matthew and Caroline Moses and, Jamie, Johnathan, and Jacob Lyon.

During the 30+ years that they lived in Many, Jim and Ruby were active in the United Methodist Church where Jim served as the lay leader of Many United Methodist Church. Jim instilled in his children and grandchildren the values of honesty, integrity and service to others. More than anything, Jim treasured the time spent with his family. We all enjoyed a big celebration together for Jim’s 95th birthday in June of 2024. We will truly miss his stories and advice but are sure he is happy to be reunited with Ruby again.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to long‐time friends Bob and Kathi Ickes and sons Ben and Josh as well as his dear neighbors of more than 22 years, Billy and Debbie Owens, for all their love and support through the years. In addition, thank you to his many friends and family that have helped him in untold ways over his lifetime.

The funeral will be held at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home in Haughton, LA at 2 p.m. on Saturday March 22 with visitation with family 1‐2 p.m., followed by interment at Fillmore cemetery. The family requests any memorial donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or to the Methodist Children’s Home in Ruston, LA.