Sydney Mines, NS
June 8, 1928 - September 27, 2024
John Archibald Lyons was born on June 8, 1928, in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, the youngest of six children, to John and Mamie (McMillan) Lyons. Because his mother was widowed shortly after his birth and times were tough, his early years were spent moving from relative to relative and town to town within Cape Breton.
Through his twenties, John worked in construction and other odd jobs, and enjoyed weekends camping, hunting, and fishing with the boys.
In his early 30s, John joined the Seventh-day Adventist church and felt called to become a pastor. He attended Kingsway College (Oshawa, ON), and Atlantic Union College (S. Lancaster, MA), completing his training in theology in 1968. During his time in Ontario, the wife of a coworker introduced him to a friend, Muriel Field, and following just several visits, they were married in December of 1965. The coming years saw two children added to their family, April and Peter.
Following graduation in 1968, John took a call to become a pastor in the Maritime provinces, where he and Muriel worked together tirelessly for many years, pastoring churches in Charlottetown, PEI, Perth-Andover, NB, Oak Park, Yarmouth, New Minas, Bridgewater, and North Sydney, NS, as well as Corner Brook, Nfld. John was instrumental in leading church construction projects in three of these locations, Perth-Andover, New Minas, and Corner Brook, bringing together his passion for pastoral ministry with his experience in construction.
John was quiet and thoughtful, always enjoyed a good conversation, was an extraordinary handyman, walked at least 3 times a day (until his legs quit working), and always had a good book to read (until his eyes began to fail him). His favorite book to read was the Bible.
John passed peacefully to his rest on September 27, 2024, at the age of 96. You might say he died of a broken heart, both physically due to heart disease and figuratively, since Muriel passed away just 6 weeks prior.
He is survived by his two children, April (Emmanuel) Hutchful and Peter (Shari) Lyons, 9 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. We look forward to that resurrection morning when all will be made new.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff of Minor’s Memorial Manor in Sydney Mines for their excellent care of both John and Muriel, as well as a special thank-you to the North Sydney Seventh Day Adventist Church family.
A funeral service to celebrate John’s life will be held at 10:30am on Friday, October 4, 2024, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in North Sydney with Pastor Metard Salomon officiating.
Burial will follow the service at Loch End Cemetery in Catalone.
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