Naomi Lyons

Naomi Lyons was a remarkable woman, who lived a long and wonderful life, a life so full of successes. She lived a life full of strength, full of faith, and full of family. “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken,” Naomi often said, and she never did. Today her strength, and love, lives on in all who knew her.

Naomi’s story began on a cool spring day in 1921, as the last of the snows melted in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois. Those were exciting times in this country, as the Roaring 20s began, and Prohibition was law of the land. On March 16, 1921, Andrew and Bertha (Forsythe) Schodrof celebrated the birth of a baby girl, a daughter they named Naomi.

Naomi was the third of the couple’s four children, joining older siblings Juanita and Herbert, and little sister Bernadine in the family’s devoutly-Catholic home. Naturally, Naomi was raised with her parents’ strong Catholic faith, and attended Catholic schools, too. She went to St. Casmir School in Chicago, where she was a bright young student, and especially excelled in art and music.

In 1937, just a day after her Sweet 16th birthday, Naomi went to a St. Patrick’s Day dance, where she met a handsome young man named John Lyons. The sparks flew between them, and they soon began a wonderful, lifelong romance.

Naomi and John dated for the next five years, before getting married on May 25, 1942, at St. Andrews Cathedral in Little Rock, Arkansas, where John was stationed in the Army. They had a quick, two-day honeymoon, before it was back to the base for both of them.

The newlyweds started their family in October of 1943, with the birth of their son John Jr. Robert followed not long after, and after John was discharged in September of 1945, the growing family moved back to Chicago to a four-bedroom apartment, and joined St. Raphael’s Parish.

John went to work for Bell Telephone, and Naomi had her hands full with a rapidly-growing family. Their first daughter, Kathleen, was born in August of 1946, and one year later, the couple celebrated twins, Paul and Paulette! In March of 1949, the couple squeezed their sixth child into that four-bedroom apartment (at least for a little while), with baby daughter Maureen.

The next year, they bought a huge five-bedroom home in Mt. Greenwood, complete with a huge backyard for the kids to play in. They joined St. Christina’s Parish there, and John found extra jobs as a pizza deliveryman and part-time butcher at the local A&P to make ends meet.

Naomi continued caring for her large (and growing) family. Their son David was born at Christmastime in 1951, and son Michael came along on Thanksgiving Day of 1953. But the family wasn’t finished yet! In 1955, Naomi and John celebrated their second set of twins, Laurence and Laura.

By then, John was saying good-bye to Ma Bell, and began selling this new product craze sweeping the nation called Tupperware. Naomi did her part by hosting Tupperware parties in their home, and in 1956, she became a full-fledged Tupperware manager.

In January of 1957, they added son Timothy to the family, and also packed up and moved from Illinois to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the couple were promoted to Tupperware Distributors. Their business grew, as did their family. William was born in October of 1958, and by 1959, Naomi earned her diamond ring as Tupperware’s top seller!

The couple built a beautiful new home in Grand Rapids in 1960, and in August of ’61, they rounded out their large and loving family with the last of their 13 children, Mary Beth. Just 10 days later, they packed into two station wagons, and moved to Orlando, Florida, where John became a Regional Manager. Eventually, they returned to Illinois, to a huge house on two acres in Palos Park.

The couple ran a Tupperware distribution house near Midway Airport, though the demanding business soon took its toll on John, who suffered a heart attack in 1963. So they left the Tupperware business, with John going into dry cleaning, and Naomi working at Palos Community Hospital as a housekeeper (she’d had plenty of practice, with 13 kids!).

In 1971, they moved once again, to the charming little town of Lawton, Michigan, where they built their dream home. Four years later, they renovated a 100-year-old barn into an arts and crafts studio, where Naomi gave painting classes and John molded plaster crafts. It was a beloved haven for them, one they dubbed “The Lyons Den Hayloft.”

Eventually, they retired, and moved to a smaller home in Lawton on Liberty Street, one stop before their last move to nice home on Fourth Street in Lawton, where they moved in 1984. John’s health had declined greatly by then, and he endured five surgeries in 1985 alone, losing both legs to complications. Naomi was his rock through the good times and bad, always strong enough for everyone around her.

She began calling bingo games, and teaching art classes in Lawton, which she enjoyed, an outlet for her lifelong creativity. She had also painted the murals for the kids’ schools and did the backdrops for all the plays over the years. As busy as she always was, she forever found the energy and time for her family. More than anything, Naomi was a devoted wife and mother, and the consummate homemaker. She was a tremendous cook, whose chop suey, homemade pizza, mostaciolli and coleslaw were family favorites. And with that many mouths to feed, she knew how to cook for an army! She’d go grocery shopping pushing two carts, usually one just for the cereal!

Naomi was such a proud and loving parent, though, and loved to tell people that she had 13 children! Of course, she enjoyed some peace and quiet at times, too. She loved to watch Price Is Right and Jeopardy, and was quite a night-owl, too (when she had the most peace and quiet). She loved to read, everything from Nora Roberts romance novels to National Geographic. Most of all, she loved being with her family, especially around the holidays, which she always made into a special occasion.

Sadly, Naomi’s beloved John died in 1998, though she persevered. She was always so strong, so full of life. “I’m fine,” she’d always say. “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken,” she said, and never did. Always full of strength, full of love, and full of faith, that was Naomi.

In 2004, Naomi was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She knew her strength wouldn’t last forever, so she sat and wrote a heartfelt note to her large and loving family, which had grown to include 36 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren. She wrote of her faith, in the Lord, and in her family, who meant everything to her.

“Keep up the good job you are doing,” she wrote. “Stay close to God and His Blessed Mother, for they will guide you through the pitfalls of life. You have met the problems of life so far bravely and with determination, and believe me, with God’s help you’ll succeed with the larger problems to come. God Bless and Keep Safe. With all my love – Mom”

Naomi sadly died on Tuesday, November 20, 2007, in Kalamazoo, at the age of 86.

Naomi was a remarkable woman, who lived a remarkable life, a life so full of family, faith, and fond memories. “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken,” she always said, and she never did. More than anything, Naomi was a woman full of strength, faith and love, which lives on today in all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Learn more about Naomi, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends on Friday from 5:00 – 8:00 PM at the LIFE STORY FUNERAL HOME, Betzler & Thompson, Paw Paw, 60900 M-40, 657-3870 where a rosary will be recited at 7:30 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday 10:00 AM with viewing starting 9:00 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Paw Paw. Burial will take place in St. Mary’s Cemetery with food and fellowship following at the church hall. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her son David in 1983, and by 3 siblings: Juanita Bohne, Bernadine Norton and Herbert Schodrof. Surviving members of her family include her 12 children: John Lyons, Jr. of Marcellus, Robert (Sandra) Lyons of Lawton, OK, Kathleen (David) Vogt of Paw Paw, Paulette Johnson of Mattawan, Paul (Pauline) Lyons of Ft. Wayne, IN, Maureen (Robert) Andrews of Wilmington, IL, Michael (Linda) Lyons of Hyde Park, NY, Laurence Lyons of Korea, Laura (Tom) Ormsby of Mukwonago, WI, Timothy (Pam) Lyons of Moline, IL, William (Beth) Lyons of Big Lake, MN, and Mary Beth (Felix) Esquibel of Portage, 36 grand children, 26 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo of Naomi, sign her online guest book or make memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association.