Edward Alfred Lyons

Edward A. Lyons, a retired Army Infantry Major who was a combat veteran of World War II passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at the Shenandoah Hospice House in Fishersville, Virginia. He lived in the Staunton, VA area for more than 40 years after retiring from the Army with more than twenty years of service.

Major Lyons was a native of Jersey City, New Jersey and was educated at St. Paul of the Cross, RC school there. He attended Regis High School, New York City and Dickinson High School in Jersey City. He was employed by the law firm of Rounds, Dillingham, Mead & Neagle, New York City, for twelve years, leaving that employment when he entered the Army as a private, July 1942.

He was assigned to the 717th MP Battalion, Trenton, NJ, where he received the basic training as a Military Policeman. Promoted to Corporal, he was assigned to the 554th MPEG Company and rose to the rank of Sergeant. With that unit, he participated in the Normandy Invasion, landing on Utah Beach. After that campaign, the 554th was assigned to the Ninth Army as a separate unit. Major Lyons remained with the unit, participating in three more campaigns.

He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry early in 1945 at Fontainebleau, France, and was assigned to the 104th Infantry Division. At the end of the war, he remained in Europe and served with the Army of Occupation in Germany. He assisted in forming the First Polish Brigade and training companies as security forces guarding the US Army installations in Germany, including the War Crimes Trial area.

Following this service, he returned to the US and served in various units in Command and Staff positions. Among them, Company A, 39th Inf, 9th Division, Ft. Dix, N.J. and Company A, 507th Airborne, 17th Abn Div. Camp Pickett, VA. He served as Company Commander, Hq & Hq Co, Headquarters, 24th Inf Div. in Korea. He then was assigned as Adjutant and Personnel Officer for the New Hampshire Military District, Manchester, NH and later as an Advisor to units at the Raymond Bisson, US Army Reserve Center, Rochester, NH. Following this he was next assigned to the US Army Garrison, Verdun, France, where he was promoted to Major and served as Chief of the Intelligence Branch. Later, he was assigned to the US Army General Depot, Verdun, serving as Deputy for Administrative and Logistical Services. His next assignment was as General Staff Officer in the G-r Division of the 4th Logistical command.

Upon his return to the U.S., he was assigned to the 4th Training Regiment as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Fort Dix, NJ. He retired there in July 1964.

Major Lyons was an accomplished linguist, speaking French, German, Russian and Chinese Mandarin. He studied the latter language at the Army Language School and was assigned an MOS as an interpreter in that language upon graduation.

In retirement, Major Lyons maintained his proficiency by continued study of the Chinese language. He was a member of The Retired Officers Association, the American Association of Retired Persons, the National Geographic Society, an Associate member of the Smithsonian Association and an Associate member of the Virginia Sheriffs Institute. He assisted in supporting many charitable organizations.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at the Staunton Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes, 18 W. Frederick Street, with Father Burt Sare officiating. Burial will follow at Thornrose Cemetery with full military honors.

There will be no formal visitation or public viewing.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Grace R. Lyons on February 6, 2011.

He is survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Rogers of Staunton; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Francis & Lucy Naimoli of East Meadow, NY; nieces, Pat Rogers Frank of Atlanta, GA, Joyce Marino of Montauk, NY, Linda Etzel of Montauk, NY, Donna G. Barnes of Salsbury, NC and their families, grand-nephews and grand-nieces; as well as his dear and beloved first cousin, Mary Lyons of New York. He loved and treasured his entire family.

The family would like to say a special “thank you” to the in-home Hospice staff, Ellie, Mary Scott, Mark and Gail for their care; to Hospice volunteers Liz and Lee for shopping; and gratitude to the nurses and volunteer chaplains at the Shenandoah Hospice House.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends may make donations to the August Health Hospice of the Shenandoah, P. O. Box 215, Fishersville, VA 22939.

Arrangements under the direction of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes Staunton Chapel, Staunton, VA.