Goodbye Dick Lyon

On February 3, 2017, our dear friend Dick Lyon passed away peacefully.  Born in 1923, Dick lived a tremendous life as a champion swimmer, Scouts & Raiders, Navy SEAL, mayor of Oceanside, and civic volunteer.  During World War II, he scouted beaches in the Phillipines and Japan for potential American landings.  After the war ended, he acted as an intelligence officer in China.  Re-activated during the Korean conflict, he went through SEAL training (again), and was sent to deactivate Russian mines in 36-degree water.  He stayed in the Navy and became the first Navy SEAL to reach the rank of Admiral.

He was a committed family man with nine children and a gaggle of grandchildren.  Dick found humor in many situations, and smiled and laughed constantly.  Naturally he was tremendously liked and admired by all who met him.  At the Old Bold Pilots, he sat next to our beloved B-17 pilot Jay Walker, with whom he shared a deep friendship.  Their table will never be the same again without them there.  Like Jay, Dick will be terribly missed.