Obituary of Joann Thompson Lyons

God could not be everywhere, and therefore He made mothers." —Rudyard Kipling When God made our mother, He created a masterpiece. She was love, patience, selflessness, and caring wrapped up in the most beautiful soul this planet has ever seen. On December 20, 2022, the body of Barbara Joann Thompson Lyons ended her journey on this planet, but her soul soars high with the angels and will always be with us. Joann was born on January 2, 1934, in Pineola, NC, to Donald Mead and Nellie Phillips Thompson. She had four brothers and one sister: Donald Maynard Thompson of Norfolk, VA (deceased); Everett Dale Thompson of Pineola, NC (deceased); Bobby Camp Thompson of Wilkesboro, NC (deceased); Beatrice Nell Thompson Booth of Fruitland, NC (deceased); and Phillip D. Thompson of Kernersville, NC. Joann was attending Appalachian State Teachers' College when her father fell ill with cancer. She postponed pursuing her degree to return home to help care for her father. During that time, Joann took a job working at the courthouse in Newland, NC. On her way to work one day, she caught the eye of a young man whose family had a Dry Cleaning business nearby. The young man followed her to the courthouse, asked a coworker who she was, and soon after, asked her out on a date. That date turned into a beautiful relationship, and on May 5, 1956, Archie Dean Lyons, Sr. of Boone, NC and Joann were married at Pineola Presbyterian Church, in Pineola, NC. Archie and Joann have four sons and one daughter: Archie Dean Lyons, Jr. of Boone, NC, married to Vicki Huss Lyons; Jeffrey Marc Lyons of Barnardsville, NC (deceased), married to Janet Roach Lyons; Gregory Eric Lyons of Millers Creek, NC, married to Lisa Haynes Lyons; Brent Mead Lyons of Todd, NC, married to Janna Wilson Lyons; and Allyson Dawn Lyons of Boone, NC, married to Douglas Rennie Brantz. They have eight grandchildren: Mead Lyons, Forest Lyons, Chad Davis, Carrie Osbourne, Jolean Lyons, Aaliyah Pritchard, Jaylah Pritchard, and Eli Lyons; six great-grandchildren: Branson Osbourne, Levi Osbourne, Wyatt Osbourne, Harper Lyons, Brooke Lyons, and Buchanan Lyons. They also have several four-legged & furry grandchildren. Joann's greatest joy in life was children, especially her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She dedicated her whole life to the education and welfare of all young children. After getting married, she returned to Appalachian State Teachers' College and completed her degree in 1962 in Early Childhood Education, all while raising her first two children. Joann taught at multiple elementary schools and daycare centers and treated every child she met as if they were her own, giving them all the love and attention they needed to grow as a student and a person. She often went far beyond what any student needed in class to ensure their personal and mental needs were cared for. As an avid member of Grace Lutheran Church in Boone, NC, Joann taught Sunday School and Bible school and wrote and directed numerous church plays and Christmas Programs. Every child who grew up at Grace felt the blessing of her faith, her kindness, and her joyful spirit as she made the story of Jesus come alive in such creative ways. Joann's passion and enthusiasm for teaching and caring for children inspired all who met and worked with her. We are sad for what we've lost, but heaven has truly gained an angel who will wrap her wings around all the littlest angels there. On behalf of the Lyons Family, a special thank you to all of the nurses and staff at the Foley Center at Chestnut Ridge in Blowing Rock, NC, for the kindness, loving care and friendship they so freely gave to our mother. Funeral services will be held at Grace Lutheran Church in Boone, North Carolina, on Friday, December 30, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. Following the service, please join the family in the Grace Lutheran Fellowship Hall for refreshments. A private graveside service will be performed at Pineola Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Pineola, North Carolina, that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made to either of these organizations: Lucy Brock Child Development Center The Reich College of Education Appalachian State University 151 College Street Boone, NC 28608 https://rcoe.appstate.edu/ Click the "GIVE" button and select Lucy Brock Child Development Center. The Troutman Foundation Grace Lutheran Church 115 East King Street Boone, NC 28607 http://www.gracelutheranboone.org/donate Click "Donate Now," and select The Troutman Foundation. Online condolences may be shared with the Lyons family at the website www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Lyons family.