John Joseph Lyons

LYONS, John Joseph Loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle, died peacefully, on September 29, 2023, at his home in Littleton, NH, surrounded by family after being diagnosed with glioblastoma last April. He was born April 8, 1940 to Rita Elizabeth (Goulet) Lyons and Francis Gerald Lyons. John is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Ruth (Taylor) Lyons, with whom he shared twenty-four years (marrying in 2005) together. They enjoyed an active lifestyle from Boxborough, MA to Marco Island, FL and eventually Littleton, NH that included hiking, kayaking, walks and travel. In addition to his wife, John leaves behind five children, Keith Lyons of Boxborough, Kristin Guenard of Ashburnham, Erik Lyons of Boxborough, Erin Letsky of Maynard and Brigit Vercruysse of the Netherlands and their spouses, eight, soon to be nine, grandchildren, three sisters, two brothers and two former wives; the mothers to his five children. He was predeceased by his parents. John grew up in North Cambridge, MA until his family moved west to Boxborough in 1951. He was a member of the first class to graduate from Boxborough's first K-6 elementary school, Blanchard Memorial and then from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in 1958. John attended Norwich University on a full academic scholarship, but two problematic knees prevented him from serving. He graduated from Wentworth Institute in Boston, MA in 1963 with a degree in Nuclear Physics. During his summers starting in 1957, John worked for Ray Vorce at Littleton Construction in Boxborough, MA. In May of 1966, Ray sold the company to Dewey & Almy, a division of W.R. Grace. John, a salesperson, earned the trust of his customers with his technical acumen, customer service, dedication and wit. He was a multiple winner of Grace's Sales Master Award and respected as an expert in the field of concrete in a career with W.R. Grace that spanned 49 years. John was instrumental in the application of concrete on the Big Dig project including the Ted Williams Tunnel. After retiring from Grace in 2006, he worked for what was once his largest customer while at Grace, Boston Sand and Gravel, extending his career ten more years. John loved the Town of Boxborough. He invested his early career earnings wisely in local real estate buying several parcels of land and buildings found in the town center district. He began a lifelong ambition of developing a mixed-use Historic Village type town center, seeing part of that vision become reality restoring historic buildings, opening a marketplace in 1989, which included a French café and seeing three, 55+ communities established. His vision is still an incomplete story, but a happy ending is still possible. John was active in town, first as a multiple term member of the Boxborough Planning Board and later, a multiple term Board of Selectmen and volunteer firefighter. Among his accomplishments was selecting the towns first full-time Police Chief and Police department and overseeing the towns acquisition of Flerra Field and Meadows in 1979, which is still popular today hosting soccer and baseball games, Summer Playground and the towns annual Fifer's Day celebration. His greatest accomplishment and legacy however, was his children. His children and his grandchildren made him proud each day and they were blessed to have him as their father and grandfather. Throughout his life, John kept his quick wit, humor, strength, toughness and love of family intact. We will miss him dearly and always keep our memories of him with us each day. Visiting Hours: At his request there will be no services. His family will hold a Celebration of his Life in the spring by invite. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to any of the following in his memory, GBM Foundation, North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, American Concrete Institute, ACI 201 Undergraduate Concrete Durability Scholarship

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