Obituary of Mary Teresa Lyons

Mary Teresa Lyons, née Walsh, passed away on January 19, 2019. She was born in Callan, Co Kilkenny, Ireland in 1929. Her family moved to Rossane in Tipperary when she was nine years old and she finished her studies in Clonmel. After the Second World War, she joined her father, who was working in London England, where she trained as a registered nurse. In 1954, she landed in Montreal Canada, for what she thought would be a six-month placement at the Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital in Cowansville, Québec, before continuing on to Australia, but the fates intervened: she met our father, Anthony Lyons there and wed in June 1956; they were married for 51 years, until his death in 2007. In 1963, they moved from Cowansville to Kitchener, Ontario.

Mary worked at St Mary’s Hospital from 1964 until 1970 and from the early seventies until her retirement in 1991 at K-W, the present day, Grand River Hospital. In her retirement, she volunteered for the Hospice of Waterloo Region and the St. John’s Kitchen.

She is predeceased by her parents Concepta and Nicholas Walsh, her sisters Phyllis, Brigid and brother David. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Malcolm Pickles of England, her nephews and nieces on three continents and her children, Michael, Sean, Brendan (Lynda), Eileen (Tododjim) and her four, much-loved grandchildren, Shivonne (Daniel), Craig, Doran and Aine.

We thank her for the love she gave, the concern she had for each of us and all her hard work. Sincere thanks to her friends, colleagues and neighbours who supported her over the years. Finally, we would like to thank the staff at University Gates in Waterloo - where she resided from June 2016 until her last day- and in particular, the Wright neighbourhood team, for their kindness, diligence and professionalism.

Friends are invited to share their memories of Mary with her family during visitation at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo, on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m.  Parish Prayers will be held at 8 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi RC Church, 49 Blueridge Ave. Kitchener on Thursday, January 24, 2019 at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Tim Uniac as Celebrant. Interment to follow at Williamsburg Cemetery, Kitchener. Reception to follow in the church hall.

Condolences for the family and donations to Hospice of Waterloo Region or St. John's Kitchen may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519.745.8445.