A Life Lived: Norman Lyons. a country boy who worked hard and loved bluegrass music

Published 1:57 pm Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Norman Lyons was a country boy, who loved bluegrass music. He grew up in the Gap Creek Community and was the youngest of 10 children born to James and Lydia Morton Lyons.

Norman attended Happy Valley High School, graduating in 1959. He joined the Army Reserves while in high school and after graduating he served in the regular Army at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Norman and his wife, Pat, had been married 59-1/2 years when he died on June 24 at the age of 81.

Norman was proud of his military service and loved his family, neighbors, and the many people he worked with through the years. “He was a hard worker, and had worked at different jobs,” said his wife, Pat. Right out of high school, he went to work at Sterchi’s, a local furniture store. From there, he worked at North American Rayon Corporation, and for a time, Norman worked as a millwright, traveling to work sites in Texas, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. “He would leave on Sunday or Monday and usually get home on Thursday or Friday,” said Pat.

His last work was at Watauga Industries and the Carter County Garage, where he drove a truck.

However, Norman wasn’t all about work even though he liked to be busy. He and his wife always had a big garden and he enjoyed being around work horses. “When he was younger, he had worked with horses. It stayed with him all his life. He also enjoyed having a dog,” said Pat.

His favorite thing outside of work was listening to bluegrass music and traveling to bluegrass festivals. His favorite performer was Bill Monroe. “We traveled a lot to bluegrass festivals in South Carolina. He especially liked Bluegrass Gospel and two of his favorite songs were ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Go Rest High On That Mountain.'”

In addition to his bluegrass music, Norman enjoyed good food, and among his favorite menu items were fried fish and grilled hotdogs.

“He was a simple man, just a country boy, who enjoyed his family and friends. He had made a lot of friends from work. He was a good Christian man, very compassionate. Together, we had a son, Todd Matthew. He and his wife, Nikki, have three girls. He really loved those granddaughters,” said Pat.

Norman had been sick the past five years, spending three or four bouts each year in the hospital. However, his love for bluegrass music never faded. “He still enjoyed listening to his music,” said Pat.

Norman was a member of Upper Gap Creek Baptist Church.

He was laid to rest in the Lyons Cemetery in the Upper Gap Creek Community. Yes, Norman Lyons knew pain, was no stranger to the rain, and now that his work is done, he is resting “high on that mountain.”