This item ran in Long Island Newsday: (click on headline above for the link):
ISLAND TREES TEACHER, COACH TIMOTHY LYONS, 59
By Laura Albanese, Newsday reporter, laura.albanese@newsday.com
It was the spring of 1971 and Timothy Lyons, then 22, was ready to impart some life lessons to his younger brother Terry.
Terry, 11, had never been to Madison Square Garden and, perhaps more important, had never seen Timothy's beloved St. John's University play in the arena. And Timothy Lyons - who lived and breathed basketball, family members said - wanted to share his love for the game.
His passion for the sport, Terry said, was infectious. Motivated by his older brother, Terry would go on to become Vice President of International Communications for the NBA. Timothy, meanwhile, proved to be a natural born teacher. He taught middle school English in the Island Trees School District for 34 years before retiring in 2006 and coached basketball there for more than a decade.
Timothy Lyons died Friday at his Bethpage home, likely from complications from colon cancer, family members said. He was 59.
"He's a great guy," said Terry Lyons of Manhattan. "I'll tell stories from my first trip to The Garden all night long - parking in Queens and taking the GG local to the Garden as a kid. I'll never forget it."
Timothy, the oldest of three, provided the same lesson for the middle brother, Thomas, 54. It was a basketball family and Timothy was the headmaster, Terry said.
In roundabout way, it would be that love of sports that would help Timothy find his calling: literature and education, Thomas said. As a fourth grader, Timothy would hand in sports essay after sports essay to his teacher, Carol Gabia. By Grade 6, Gabia had seen Timothy's potential but encouraged him to broaden his horizons. Timothy eagerly complied.
"The light would shine and the sun would come out when he talked about Mrs. Gabia," Thomas said. "I really think that's where he got his love for literature and education."
"He just became hooked on the whole concept of education and what it meant to be that close to literary works," said Thomas Lyons of Farmingdale.
Timothy Lyons graduated from Island Trees H.S. in 1967 and went on to get his Masters degree in English at St. John's. In 1972, he began teaching at Island Trees, and later he coached at the junior varsity level for both Island Trees and North Shore High School.
"He reached a lot of students," Thomas said. "Six classes a day for 34 years, you can just add the numbers."
In addition to his brothers, Timothy Lyons is survived by his wife of 18 years, Susan, his four children - Timothy, 33 of Mt Sinai; Christopher, 30 of Levittown; Sean, 27, of Chicago, IL; and Paul, 26, of Bethpage - and hsi mother, Genevieve, 83 of Island Trees.
The funeral yesterday morning was in St. Ignatius Loyola R.C. Church in Hicksville. Burial will be at Holy Rood Cemetary and it will be private.
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3 comments:
Mickey Mantle was my brother Tim's favorite player. Bobby Murcer was a close second:
Biopsy shows no recurrence of cancer for Murcer
by Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. -- A brain biopsy on New York Yankees broadcaster Bobby Murcer showed no sign that a tumor had reoccurred.
An MRI exam last week showed an area of concern, which prompted the biopsy Monday at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
"We received great news this morning," Murcer said in statement released by the Yankees on Wednesday. "The biopsy revealed scar tissue. It showed no signs of cancer. It's what we had hoped for all along. I plan on resting at home over the next few weeks and focusing my energy on returning to the stadium for its final opening day. My family and I thank everyone for their prayers, e-mails, cards and thoughts."
Murcer was scheduled to leave the hospital Wednesday and return to his Oklahoma home.
An All-Star outfielder who played 17 seasons in the major leagues, Murcer had surgery in December 2006 -- four days after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.
The 61-year-old Murcer played for the Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs from 1965-83, batting .277 with 252 home runs and 1,043 RBIs. He has been a popular broadcaster on Yankees games for 23 seasons, winning several Emmy Awards.
Im so sorry to hear about Mr.Lyons passing . I had him in English class in 7th grade ( then 1973). My first year in Middle school . Mr.Lyons and his wife just had there first son . We made him a little baby shower party in class I remember he was so proud . I went on to always remember what a great teacher he was, and how all the girls in his class loved him . Years later my own daughter had him for Com Arts in 8th grade ( 2004) . It was so great to see him at parent teacher night that year . He touched a lot of lives . And will always be remembered . My prayers go out to his wife, his children and his mother he leaves behind to carry on his name .
TO MY DEAR STUDENT TIMOTHY
IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR AND PLEASURE TO KNOW YOU AND TO
TEACH YOU IN SCHOOL. YOU WILL
ALWAYS BE IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. LOVE ALWAYS YOUR TEACHER CAROL GABIA.
CAROL GABIA (FARMINGDALE)
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