Paul Michael Lyons

Paul M. Lyons, 86, of Vienna, VA, passed away on April 20, 2019. He was born in August of 1932 in Washington, D.C., and had been a resident of Vienna for 62 years. He is predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Bernadette M. (O’Rourke) Lyons. Paul is survived by three children: Stephen Lyons (John Jenkins) of Seattle, WA; Loretta Zarou (Jamal) of Silver Spring, MD; Sharon L. Iandolo (Ralph) of Sterling, VA; and by his sister Helen (Lyons) Ebaugh of Silver Spring, MD. Paul led a multifaceted life which included creative professional positions in the field of motion picture film production with Hearst Metrotone News in the 1950s and management responsibilities as TV producer/director with the United States Information Agency under Edward R. Murrow in the early 1960s. He founded Images and Ideas Unlimited, a full service public relations firm which operated successfully for six years before he became Vice President for Production Services with Charlie/Papa Productions of Rockville, MD. There, two motion picture films which Paul performed film editing and management of all production services were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Documentary Short Subject: 1977’s “Of Time, Tombs, and Treasure: The Treasures of King Tut,” and 1979’s “Koryo Celadon.” He then went on to become Vice President and General Manager of Capital Film Laboratories and then Production Manager for AT&T Communications for the documentary filming of the Olympic Torch Relay across America in 1984. Later that year, he accepted a Presidential appointment to Executive Director of the United States Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission where he served until 1990. The 1990’s also saw Paul joining the staffs of the Free Congress Foundation, National Empowerment Television, and America’s Voice Cable TV Network. At the local level, Paul was a member of the Vienna Town Council from 1967 to 1976. He and Bernadette were founding members of St. Mark Catholic Church in Vienna where he also served in a variety of roles including member of the Parish Council, Eucharistic Minister, and usher. As a married couple, Paul and Bernadette were involved with the Catholic Engaged Encounter and the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movements for many years, giving examples of the challenges and blessings of married life to couples about to enter their own marriages. Since his retirement in 2000, he continued to serve area civic and religious groups. Visitation will be on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 10 a.m. followed by a Memorial Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church, 9970 Vale Rd., Vienna, VA. An inurnment will follow the Mass at the Parish Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60601.