Madeline I. (Lyon) Crossley, of Orleans, MA, formerly of Rockland, MA and Duxbury, MA, age 94, died peacefully in her home surrounded by her family on Sunday, March 21, 2010. Born in Baltimore, MD in 1915, she was the daughter of Mary Jane Hood and Walter I. Ford. She attended Rockland Elementary School and Rockland High School in Rockland, MA. She married John Linwood Lyon of Rockland, MA. They had 4 sons, Kenneth, Wayne, Gary and Douglas. She worked for many years as a store proprietor, an upholsterer, a bookkeeper, a real estate agent, and a secretary. She and her family moved to Cape Cod in 1969 and lived in Marstons Mills for many years. After her husband John’s death in 1984, she remarried Alfred Crossley of Schenectady, NY who passed away in 1996. She returned to the Cape and spent the remainder of her life here. Madge always kept busy, and enjoyed many hobbies such as fishing, golf, reading, playing cards and scrabble with friends, sewing, playing the steel guitar, violin and organ. She was a member of the Federated Church of Orleans, MA for many years. An independent and energetic woman, she could often be seen riding around Orleans on her electric scooter well into her ‘90‘s, where she was instrumental in getting a crosswalk redesigned for handicapped use.
She is survived by her four sons Kenneth R. Lyon and his wife Philomena Lyon, Wayne R Lyon, Gary A. Lyon and his wife Terri Lyon, and C. Douglas Lyon and his wife Carol Lyon; ten grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, her brother Walter Joseph Ford and his wife Louise Ford. She was pre-deceased by her parents, her brothers Earl Ford and Richard Ford and her sister Evelyn Neil, as well as her grandson John Lyon.
Her family extends its deep gratitude to Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod Hospice, and Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands, for the excellent care and support which they provided to her in her last days.
Our mother’s daily presence here on earth will be very much missed by her large family. She will always be in our hearts, thoughts, and memory until we join her in heaven.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, April 9, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Nickerson Funeral Home in Orleans, MA. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Burial will be following the service, at the Marstons Mills Cemetery. Flowers or a donation to VNA of Cape Cod Hospice, 434 Route 134, Suite D, South Dennis MA 02660 will be graciously accepted.
For online condolences and guest book, please visit www.nickersonfhorleans.com
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18