Robert Richard Lyon Jr.

Robert Richard Lyon Jr., age 85, of Yelm, Washington, passed away early in the morning on October 30, 2018. He is preceded in death by his wife, Audrey Marie; brothers, Bruce, Thomas, and Peter; and his sister, Cathy. He is survived by his children, Bob and Laura of Yelm, Washington, Harold and Stephanie of Kent, Washington, Michael and Karen of Olympia, Washington, Steven and Cindy of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Joyce and Karsten of Bend, Oregon; brothers, Ira and Toby; and his sister, Suzanne. Born in Queens, New York, to Robert and Doris (Davis) Lyon, he was the oldest of eight children. Being born to such a large family, he fully understood how important family is. On December 26, 1953, he married the love of his life, Audrey Marie Graf. Over 62 years, they braved every challenge life could throw their way, supporting and loving each other through thick and thin. Like his father before him, Bob had a sense of duty that called him to join the U.S. Air Force, where he proudly served for over 20 years. This allowed his family to travel the globe, enjoying many adventures together. As their family matured, Bob and Audrey made it clear that they both firmly believed that blood doesn’t make a family, love does. They firmly embraced the spouses of their children as their own children, as labels were not important, and family is family, period. Bob was a gregarious person. He was never without a friend and loved life. Bob and Audrey were fond of square dancing, camping, and family gatherings. Christmas was always an exciting affair as Bob had the excitement and wonder of a child, always right there with the kids begging to open presents. His enthusiasm for life was contagious. Bob was a positive, influential force on this earth, and was never without a friend. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Private family gathering.