Virginia Bowen Lyons

Virginia Bowen Lyons, known affectionately as "Ginny", was born on February 3, 1982 at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. She attended Frances Lacy Elementary School, Leroy Martin Middle School, and was a graduate of Needham B. Broughton High School in 2001. After high school, she joined her sister in becoming a member of the fifth generation of women in her family to attend Peace College. At Peace College, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Religion in the spring of 2008.

Ginny was a loving, thoughtful, and polite young woman who enjoyed spending time with her family and close friends, among them, her sister, with whom she was especially close. Although petite in stature, she possessed a strong determination and a generous and gracious heart.

From an early age, she enjoyed spending the summertime with her parents and sister, as well as, extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins at her grandparents' beach homes at the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She also enjoyed traveling to the North Carolina Mountains, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Scotland, and had one day hoped to visit Australia.

Ginny's artistic talents were recognized at an early age, when in the fourth grade, she won second place in a county-wide poetry contest and was presented a Japanese Maple tree as a prize by a former Mayor of Raleigh, Isabella Cannon. She was also a talented artist in the mediums of drawing and painting, talents she inherited from her grandfather. While growing up in the community, Ginny also enjoyed her time as a Girl Scout and participated in the local CASL program.

She was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh where she grew up singing in the children and youth choirs and participated in the youth ministry's worship services and mission travels.

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, John and Mary Currie of Fayetteville and her paternal grandparents, Robert and Katherine Lyons of Raleigh.

Ginny is survived by her loving family, her parents, James and Virginia Lyons of Raleigh, her sister, Katherine Pate Lyons of Raleigh, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening, May 18th at their home from 6 to 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 19th at First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh at 2 p.m. A private interment will be held prior to the memorial service for family and close friends.

Flowers are welcomed by the family. However, contributions may also be made to the newly created Peace College scholarship for Katherine and Ginny Lyons as well as, the youth ministry program at First Presbyterian Church, 120 W. Hargett Street in Raleigh.

Condolences may be sent to the family and to www.BrownWynne.com