April 14, 2003 would have been my Mom's 66th birthday. She passed away in August of 1999 and to this day, hardly a day goes by in my life when I don't think of Mom or miss Mom or both. She was a very special lady with a heart of gold and a way about her that both put you at ease and put a smile on your face. In honor of Mom's birthday, I'd like to offer the eulogy that I presented at her funeral on August 16, 1999 as a testimony:

"My name is Ken Lyon and on behalf of the Lyon family, my Dad, Art, my brothers, Darryl and Randy, their wives, and my wife and myself, thank you for taking time out of your lives to help honor the life of my Mom today.

I stood in front of a group similar to this last December and helped my father eulogize his Mom, my grandmother. She was 87 years old and there was something right about celebrating the life of someone who lived a long and prosperous life. Today is much harder for me. I wasn't prepared to say goodbye to my Mom. This is a memorial service for a wonderful lady who was taken from us MUCH TOO SOON! It isn't fair!

That is my rant today, but, that said, Mom was a Christian and she did have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, so it's not all doom and gloom. She is in a better place in heaven and I envy her that. The gloom is simply that as a son and as a man, I wasn't done with her before Jesus called her home. I live in California and the last time that I saw my Mom was when my daughter, Jennifer, my wife, Darla, and I drove out to Texas 4 weeks ago. I wanted to wait, I wanted to see her up in Canada or in Las Vegas, but it wasn't to be. My brother, Randy, called me and said, 'Ken, she's dying, get out here right now!' The cancer that invaded her body took hold of her and it was like falling down a flight of stairs, there was no stopping it.That was a tough trip for me. I knew that I was coming to Texas to say a final farewell to the woman who gave me life, who raised me, who became my model of womanhood. She taught me how to be a parent and modelled for me what it was to be a wife. On that day that I dreaded, when I leaned over her and kissed her for the last time, I told her that I loved her, that I knew that she was trying to get well, but that if she saw Jesus before I did, to put in a good word for me because, God knows, I need it.

During my entire childhood and young adulthood, Mom was a stay-at-home Mom. She was there to clean my wounds and heal me with a hug and a freshly baked cookie. When you have a stay-at-home Mom, she becomes your best friend and the most reliable thing in your life. Mom married YOUNG. I know that because I have an eighteen year old daughter and that is the age that Mom got married. Jennifer is young! Having a mother who is only 20 years older than you is pretty cool. She had the energy to keep up with her three sons and the youth to enjoy life. I remember when I first took up the game of golf and I have had a thirty-year love for the game. I was 12 years old when I first took golf lessons. One day my Mom decided to come out to the course and play with me. We played over at a golf course off Royal Lane in Dallas...I don't remember the name of the course. Mom was 32 years old and she showed up wearing short white shorts and red top. She was looking GOOD. I remember that it was the first time that I had seen my Mom through someone else's eyes. She got a load of attention out at the course and I remember feeling an odd mixture of embarassment, anger at the guys leering at her, but also a justifiable amount of pride. She was some lady!

All of you knew Mom and if you were ever going to a party and it was crowded and you wanted to find her, all you had to do was follow the laughter. When Dad talked about his Mom in December, he talked about her quiet dignity. With my Mom, it was LOUD, in-your-face, life-of-the-party FUN. She didn't melt into a crowd, she drew a crowd. She was the light of this family. She was surrounded by four fairly introverted, moody men and she was our glimpse into how the other half lived. She will be missed.

Mom was the type of person who never had acquaintances in her life. She did initially, but by the time she had met someone once or twice, she was their friend, whether it was the checker at the grocery store or a clerk at her favorite fast food restaurant. She would laugh and kid with them and they would remember her, but more than that, she would remember them and make them feel special. She was one of those rare people who make life better because she was a part of your life.

I envied my brothers for living so close to Mom. If you were ever in the dumps and needed a change in attitude, all it took was a visit with Mom and you'd leave with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Your problems were still there, the only thing that changed was your perspective. She will be missed.

I asked Dad for any input on my eulogy, if there was anything that he wanted me to share about Mom and he did mention one thing. You recall at the beginning of my remarks that I said, 'She was taken too young and it just isn't fair?' Well, that was my complaint, not hers. During Mom's entire ordeal and battle with cancer, she never once complained or said, 'Why me?' Her only concern was for her family. She was concerned that she was ill and that Dad had to clean the house, do the laundry, make meals, make the bed, do the dishes and tend to her. She was concerned that she was pulling Darryl and Randy from their families and that I had to make an emergency trip from California to see her. She didn't cry for herself, she cried for us. This is an example of the selfless beauty that she was. Rest well, Mom. I love you and I am going to miss you."

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others leave footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same.