Loretta A. Lyon

Loretta Ann Lyon was born September 20, 1939, in Alva, Oklahoma as the youngest of four children to Clarence and Dora Haight. She passed away April 29, 2022, surrounded by family.

In August of 1957 she was united in marriage to Kenneth Lyon in Alva, Oklahoma. She graduated from Alva High School in 1958 and went on to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and ultimately achieved her Master’s Degree in Education from Wichita State University in 1973.

Loretta began her teaching career in Longmont, Colorado in 1963. In 1966, the family moved to Wellington, Kansas where she taught for three years before moving to Harper, Kansas. Over the next eleven years, Loretta taught at Anthony and Harper elementary schools. The family then moved to Derby, Kansas in 1978. Loretta spent the remaining years of her career teaching kindergarten at Derby Hills Elementary School, where she retired from teaching in 1997. Over the course of Loretta’s career, she touched the lives of hundreds of children that affectionately referred to her as Mrs. Lyon.

Loretta is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband Kenneth of 59 years, and granddaughter, Abby Hatfield.

She is survived by her children; Jim (Cindy) Lyon of Wichita and Kim (Mark) Mullen of Derby, grandchildren; Kristin (Brad) Dory of Anthony, Andy (Samantha) Mullen of Dallas, Georgia and Angie (Jayson) Ingalls of Derby, and thirteen great-grandchildren; Hunter Cowherd, Laken Cowherd, Ella Cowherd, and Brayden Dory all of Anthony, Alexis Mullen of Derby, Hailey Campbell, James Campbell, Jr., Ashlynn Campbell, and Sophia Mullen all of Dallas, Georgia, Jaymes Ingalls, Jake Ingalls, Lilian Walsh and Maggie Walsh all of Derby.

Loretta shared a close relationship with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and will be greatly missed by all.

Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 6, 2022, at Smith Mortuary, 501 SE Louis Blvd., Mulvane, Kansas. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Derby Senior Center in Loretta’s name.