William Joseph Lyons, Jr.

William (Bill) Joseph Lyons, Jr of Corbin Rd in Hamden, CT, born October 10, 1927, passed away on October 12. He was 97. Born in Billerica, MA, his family moved to Hamden, CT when he was a child and there, he spent most of his life. He graduated from Hamden High School and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), class of 1948, where he earned his degree in Electrical Engineering (Course 6). After graduating from MIT, he then proudly served in the Army Signal Corps. Following his service, he worked for the Bell System and the Southern New England Telephone Company for 42 years as a microwave engineer. During his stint with the Bell Systems, he spent three years at the Bell Labs in New Jersey participating in the development of transatlantic telephone service. Despite his love of trains and an early desire to work for the railroad – often visiting the New Haven RR Station with his kids and watching the locomotives for hours – he decided the telephone company was where he wanted to spend his working life; a career that allowed him to combine his passions for communicating, creating things and bringing people together. Bill was a long-time parishioner and volunteer at the Church of the Ascension in Hamden. After retiring, he began his second career as an educator. He earned his Master's in Education from Fairfield University and taught a number of courses there. Bill was inspired by the engineers he worked with throughout his career and after retiring made it his life’s work to help all students, and particularly women, achieve the technical education to which they aspired at his Alma Mater. He served as an MIT admissions interviewer for many years and was recognized for his commitment, receiving the George B Morgan ’20 Award for his contribution to the Education Council. Bill was a devoted father who instilled his ‘renaissance spirit’ in his children. He had his pilot’s license and loved to fly. He was an amateur musician who played the ukulele, the organ and the saxophone. He also enjoyed photography and demonstrated his gentle sense of humor in every photo he took. He loved New England and its natural beauty. Each year he announced spring with the status of his daffodils starting when they first broke through the snow in February. And he made sure his children never missed the fall in New England by collecting and sending the brightest leaves when the color was at its best. He is survived by his sister Justine (RSCJ), his 4 children (Bill 3rd, Justine, Jim and Chris) and their wonderful spouses (Kellie, Sotiris, Amy and Dawn), 2 grandchildren Jason and Alicia, and 5 grand dogs. He is also survived by a vast extended family who has helped with his care in these last years. We are so grateful to the wonderful staff of Colebrook Village in Hebron, CT and Rachel Strout, originally of Colchester, CT, for the love and care they have provided. A service will be held on October 17th at 1PM at Sisk Brother’s Funeral Home, 3105 Whitney Avenue in Hamden. The family will receive friends Thursday from 12 noon until time of service. Burial in All Saints Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the children ask that a donation be made to the Alzheimer’s Association to help fund Alzheimer’s research.

William Joseph Lyons, Jr.

October 10, 1927 - October 12, 2024