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In Memory

Virginia Rose Baim (Lyon) - Class Of 1946 VIEW PROFILE

Virginia Rose Baim (Lyon)

VIRGINIA R. (BAIM) LYON

VIRGINIA R. LYON June 11, 1928 - November 23, 2011
Virginia R. Lyon passed away peacefully at home on November 23, 2011. A cancer survivor for more than a decade, she was supported in her final days by many, many people who admired and loved her.
Virginia was born in Mishawaka, Indiana, to Irving and Genevieve (Kunce) Baim, the second of their four children.

Virginia graduated from Central High School in South Bend, Indiana in 1946. She graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Institutional Management and Dietetics in 1950.

In 1951, Virginia married Robin L. Lyon of New London, Wisconsin. She and Robin relocated frequently as Robin pursued his career as a geologist in West Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Louisiana.
In 1968, the family moved to the Houston area where Virginia became a tireless advocate for education and conservation.

In the late 1960s, Virginia was actively involved in the effort to achieve state accreditation for the Klein Independent School District. However, her commitment to education may be best exemplified by her longtime leadership in the American Association of University Women (AAUW). In the early 1980s, Virginia helped guide the North Harris County branch of AAUW into issues related to women returning to the work force. After serving one term as branch president, Virginia went on to become Texas AAUW State Educational Foundation Vice President and later served as a member of AAUW's Education Foundation Board of Directors. In 2004, the North Harris County branch of AAUW permanently endowed The Virginia R. Lyon American Fellowship, a scholarship program for low-income women pursuing advanced college degrees.

In 1974, Virginia became a founding member of the Mercer Arboretum Advisory Committee (now called the Mercer Society) and served on its Board of Directors for many years. The committee was instrumental in helping Harris County Precinct 4 expand the original 14.5 acre arboretum to its current size of 325 acres by working to encourage membership support, expand community awareness, and raise funds. In 1979, Mercer Arboretum dedicated its Information Center to Virginia for her "many hours of outstanding service."
Virginia was a beautiful and intelligent woman who will be remembered by family and friends for her kindness, honesty and unwavering loyalty. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robin L. Lyon, her children, Jennifer L. Powell and her husband Patrick A. DiBernardi (Houston, TX), Sharon A. Lyon (Houston, TX), and R. Bruce Lyon and his wife Cindy (Fairfield, CA). She is also survived by two siblings, Beverly Rubin (Phoenix, AZ) and David Baim (Muncie, IN), as well as ten nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.

Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service on Wednesday, November 30th, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Drive, Klein, Texas 77379. Should friends desire, memorial donations may be sent to the cancer or diabetes research foundation of their choice.


Published by Houston Chronicle on Nov. 27, 2011

02/08/2023 EJS



Click here to see Virginia Rose's last Profile entry.