Beverly Lyons, 90

Ann “Beverly” (Thompson) Lyons, 90, a lifetime resident of Springfield, Massachusetts, was called to our Heavenly Father on Monday, February 6, 2023, in Tupelo, Mississippi. She was born in Springfield on June 12, 1932. A beloved daughter of the late William E. and Mary (O’Brien) Hurley. She graduated from Technical High School in 1950 and retired in 1994 as Department Supervisor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Employment Security. She was preceded in death by the love of her life and husband of 65 years, John (Jack) Irving Lyons.

Bev radiated warmth with a contagious, dimpled smile. She was light on her feet and loved dancing to big-band swing music with Jack. She was a lifelong Red Sox and New England Patriots fan, avid reader, an excellent knitter, and she enjoyed her bowling league.

After her retirement, she enjoyed spending time with friends on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, shopping, taking walks on the beach, and going to luncheons and cocktail parties. In her later years, she and Jack moved to Tupelo to be close to her daughter and family. She loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She leaves her daughter, Kathleen (Kathy) Anderson, and her husband, William (Bill) Anderson of Tupelo, MS; her two grandchildren Barrett Anderson, of Memphis, TN, and Elizabeth (Betsy) Lyons Sims, and her husband, Chase and two great-grandchildren Jack and Rolan Sims all of Rochester, MN; nieces Mella W. Sprinkle (Donald) of Lexington, NC, Christine M. Collins (Dana Berliner)their daughter Lila of Falls Church, VA, Kathryn M. (Kate) Collins-Carney (Michael ) of Springfield, their sons Micheal, Tomas and Cathal, and Elizabeth A. (Beth) Collins (Kathy Sunderland) of Beverly, MA; her great nieces and nephews Sheree R. Hill (Patrick) of Pleasant Garden, NC, James M. Reidy, of Pleasant Garden, Bethany S. Watkins (Wayne) of Fuquay, NC, and D.J. Sprinkle, of Greensboro, NC.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by her cherished sister Elizabeth (Betty) Waldron, and her husband, Glenn of Pleasant Garden, NC, her dear sister-in-law, Patricia Collins, and her husband, Thomas F. Collins of Springfield, MA, her niece Valery R. Fairrington of Pleasant Garden, NC, and her in-laws George and Catherine (Day) Lyons of Springfield, MA.

Beverly was a devout Catholic, and the family will celebrate her life with a private Mass at Saint James Catholic Church in Tupelo, Mississippi.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests that memorial donations be made in her name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or Shriner’s Hospital, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.