Thomas Lyons
Age - 83
November 17, 2023
Thomas "Tom" Emmet Lyons, a longtime resident of Dobbs Ferry, NY passed away peacefully on November 13th with his family by his side. He was 83 years old. Thomas was born to Winifred & Michael Lyons in Manhattan, NY on June 16th, 1940. This was Father's Day that year, a fitting lead into a role that Tom would take much pride in during his coming years as a loving father to his three children and "Papa" to his seven grandchildren. He was preceded in passing by his parents Winifred and Michael, his siblings Kathleen and Michael, and his cherished daughter Linda Ann. He leaves behind his daughter Michele, his son Michael (wife Dawn); his adoring grandchildren Ashley & Amber (Michele's children), Amanda, Nicole & Jessica (Michael & Dawn's children), and Victoria & Alexander (Linda's children); his beloved sister Winifred; and his nieces, nephews and all those who loved "Uncle Tommy. "While he was born in New York, Tom soon spent the early years of his childhood growing up and attending school in Ireland alongside his siblings. He was proud of his Irish heritage and loved to share stories of his childhood in Ireland including his infamous tale of walking to school in wooden shoes that he made himself. Tom returned back to the U. S. with his family at around 8 years old. He spent the coming years exploring his passion for music, becoming an expert violin player. During Tom's young adult life he proudly joined the Army in 1964 and went on to serve our country as an Air Traffic Controller. Tom took great pride in his country and had the utmost respect for all first responders, being a Veteran and emergency response volunteer himself. Upon being honorably discharged from the Army, Tom continued his legacy as a prideful worker and he was a man of many trades; a carpenter, electrician, mechanic, engineer, pilot, restaurateur; he knew how to do it all! Tom loved working with his hands and understanding how things worked. He coupled this curiosity with his drive and worked hard to raise a living for his family. During his young adult years he worked alongside his father learning how to build chain link fences. He became a highly-skilled contractor and a member of the Carpenter's Union. With these skills he started his own successful business; Thomas E. Lyons Acoustics Inc. , one of the first acoustical ceiling businesses in NY state, which quickly became the largest. He owned and operated the Elwood Bar in Hawthorne, NY and the Colonial Tavern, a restaurant loved by many and a staple in his daughter Michele's memory where she shares the days of being able to order anything she wanted from her father's restaurant menu. He owned racehorses at Yonkers Race Track; an endeavor paired perfectly with his love for animals. Tom was a wealth of knowledge and experiences; he loved to share his ideas for inventions and how things worked. In addition to Tom's career successes, he also took great pride in helping others. He volunteered with the Ardsley-Secor Volunteer Ambulance Corp. , and loved being able to give back to the people of the town. For many years he drove limousine cars in town, ensuring the elderly made it to their appointments and many trips to and from the airport. He was a cherished neighbor in his neighborhood of over 50 years; he looked forward to Halloween when the neighborhood kids would trick-or-treat at his house and was thoughtful in his candy selection to ensure he would not disappoint. Of all jobs Tom held over the years, one most precious to him was being a father and "Papa. " He took great pride in the fact that he had the opportunity to have his daughter Michele, along with his two granddaughters Ashley and Amber, live with him from the time they were babies until they were teenagers. Over the years he instilled the values of hard work and education in them while providing them with endless love. Their bond was strong and unbreakable. He loved to talk about them to his friends on a regular basis and was so proud of their accomplishments. They brought him tremendous joy until his last moments. Tom was a genuine, kind and all-around great man. Tom was the type of man to give you the shirt off his back or his very last dollar to help someone in need. He loved to keep people fed; he took joy in taking people out to eat and looked forward to telling anyone to "order both" when they couldn't decide what they wanted. He was an animal lover and animals loved him. He enjoyed spending time with his family's pets over the years, most famously when he had the chance to babysit Michele's puppy Molly for a week and she came back doubled in size from treats! He had a strong passion for research and projects; there was nothing he couldn't fix nor a problem he couldn't solve. He dreamed of hitting the lottery one day and would share his plans for his winnings which always included how he would share it with others. While Tom may have never had the chance to win the lottery, those who know him won big because they had him and his endless love. Thomas will forever be remembered for his love, knowledge, kindness and successes. He will always be the most amazing father, Papa, brother, relative, friend and neighbor. He left a lasting impression on everyone he met and will greatly be missed by all. Heaven gained a true angel. For those wishing to pay their respects to Tom and his family, please join us in the St. Francis Chapel at Gate of Heaven Cemetery on Saturday November 18th at 10:30am followed by a burial ceremony and military salute in his honor. To best find the chapel use 3 W. Stevens Ave. , Hawthorne, NY. The Chapel is in the parking lot near the main office.Show more
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