ARVADA, CO – Mrs. Rebecca (Foster) Russell Lyons, 88, formerly of Salem, MA and Putney, VT died on May 3, 2013 at the Lakewood Meridian after a long illness.
Born June 23, 1924 and raised in Salem, she was the daughter of the late Chandler H. and Dorothy M. (Perkins) Foster. Educated in Salem schools, Rebecca graduated from Salem High School at the age of 16 in 1940. She went on to graduate from National Park College near Washington, DC. She was predeceased by her first husband, Donald B. Russell of Salem, MA in 1972 after 18 years of marriage. She was predeceased by her second husband, William R. Lyons of Putney, VT in 2003 with whom she shared nearly 30 wonderfully happy years of marriage.
Mrs. Lyons found great joy throughout three very distinct chapters in her lifetime: nearly 50 years in Salem, the next 30 in Putney, VT and her last years in Arvada, CO. Her resiliency and her ability to cope with the changing circumstances in her life never ceased to amaze those around her. She was a long-time resident of Salem and enjoyed her childhood summers in Franconia, NH. She married and raised her two children in Salem, summering at their lakeside home in Ashburnham, MA. She was employed at various firms in the Boston area over the years as a bookkeeper. An avid bridge player, she taught contract bridge; many family vacations were planned around her bridge tournaments. She was a Girl Scout leader and was affectionately known as “the jolly green giant” because of her tall stature. Mrs. Lyons was a very generous and kind woman. She was a voracious reader, loved watching the birds, and had an affinity for cookies. Her childhood nickname was “Cookie Foster”. She was always interested in and quite talented at crafts of all kinds. When Rebecca married Bill Lyons and moved to Putney, VT, she made many friends through her varied interests and occupations. She was Controller at Windham College, a Lister for the town of Putney, dabbled in the antiques business, was active in the Brattleboro Garden Club, and travelled extensively. She was most well known for the miniature floral creations which she crafted and sold at Dollhouse and Miniature shows all over the country. She and her husband Bill were known as “Lyons Crafts and Collectables”. He made outstanding dollhouse furniture and she made intricate miniature floral arrangements that were sought after by many.
Rebecca moved to the Arvada Meridian, a retirement community in Arvada, Colorado in 2003. She made many wonderful friends there and became an active member of her community. She most enjoyed being able to spend time with her younger daughter and her family.
Rebecca was the loving mother of two daughters, Dawn Russell Sullivan of Brimfield, MA, and Lissa Russell Gallagher of Arvada, CO. and her two sons-in-law, Paul E. Sullivan and Mark T. Gallagher. She was the devoted grandmother of five grandchildren whom she loved very much: Rebecca Fetty and her husband Matthew of Ft. Worth, TX, Katharine Churma and her husband George of Ledyard, CT, Nathan Cowing of Arvada, CO, Stephen Blais and his wife Dyan of Colorado Springs, CO, and Emily Cowing of Arvada, CO. She never met her only great grandchild, one month old Clara Fetty. Mrs. Lyons also leaves a cousin, Sylvia Marble of Deltona, FL, and nieces, Stephanie Foster Kidd and Sarah Foster, among other nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Stephen Foster of Mason City, IL in 1986, her niece Susan Foster, of Grand Rapids, MI in 2001, and her very close first cousin, Barbara Perkins of Salem in 2008. She will be sorely missed by many friends and relatives.
Arrangements: A graveside funeral service will be held for Mrs. Lyons at Harmony Grove Cemetery, Salem at 11:30 AM, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Local arrangements are by the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, by Salem Common, Salem. Donations may be made in her memory to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 1150 17th Street, NW Suite 850, Washington, DC 20036 or to The Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168. For on line guest book, visit www.SalemFuneral.com