Janet Rose Lyons

Janet Rose (Greafe) Lyons passed peacefully from this world early Thursday morning, October 10, 2024, surrounded by family. During her 94 years on earth, she both gave and received much from life, choosing to focus on relationships, Christian charity, acts of service and, above all, growing in faith with God through Jesus Christ. Everyone she met or knew felt included, uplifted, or inspired, as she had a way of making those around her better, for having known her.

Born January 6, 1930 in New Haven, Connecticut, the last of three sisters to immigrant parents. She lived an idyllic childhood, growing up in a loving family, along with her beloved extended family. Her first dog at age 12 cemented her lifelong affection for animals. Janet excelled in school, graduating from high school at age 16. After working as a bank teller for a year, she began her college studies at the College of St. Rose in Albany, N.Y. It was a wonderland for her. She immersed herself in academics, Christian theology and extracurriculars to the extent that her senior yearbook nicknamed her “Speedo,” because she was late for everything.

Upon graduating in 1952, Janet taught elementary school in rural Connecticut. After a few years, deciding it was time for a change, answered a newspaper ad, and embarked on a journey to Alaska. Crossing the wilderness laden Can-Am highway in a Volkswagen Beetle, she arrived at remote Fort Greeley, Delta Junction, Alaska in time for the 1956 school year. It was here Janet soon met a dashing combat officer and fell in love. They were married at his final duty station in Greenville, Mississippi on June 1, 1957.

The Deep South during the 50’s and 60’s was slow to accept outsiders, especially Connecticut Yankees. Still, Janet found a way to ingratiate herself to all, becoming active in church and service activities wherever she went. Her only child was born in July 1958, and her husband retired from the U.S. Army in 1959. She devoted the ensuing decades to helping her husband attain multiple college degrees from the University of Alabama and University of Montevallo, and raising her son in the Christian faith. All this while working full time as a teacher in the Birmingham school system or librarian/Head Librarian at the Trussville Public Library. Concurrently, Janet was active in the P.E.O. Sisterhood, PTA president, Cub Scout Den Mother, Advisor to the Rainbow Girls, and numerous other church and civic activities. She smoothly assimilated into the Alabama way of life, living 50 years there, rooting for the “Crimson Tide”. Her Christian faith, by now in the Protestant tradition, was growing daily through active study and teaching of the Word, service to others and academic study of theology and the Hebrew language.

Retiring eventually to Ft. Payne, Alabama, the couple spent 20 years living a happy life, with Janet again an active member of the church and community. Her full-time work at the Child Development Center and K Mart was augmented as a volunteer to the Dekalb S.P.C.A., Valley Head Women’s Club and numerous church activities. Always watchful for those in need, she continued her many and often unnoticed acts of service and charity throughout the area.

After her husband’s passing in 2005, she moved to Colorado Springs in 2008 to be closer to her son’s family. She quickly became active as a writer for the Cheyenne Edition and remained active in P.E.O. Sisterhood and church activities, making friends and connecting people everywhere she went. Storytelling, writing poetry and social activities remained a part of her life up until the final months, with the Christian faith always in her thoughts and on her lips. Janet has certainly “run the race, fought the fight and kept the faith.”

Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Olin, her parents Arthur and Rose Graefe, sisters Evelyn (Ryan) and Norma (Celentano), and is survived by her son, Arthur, daughter-in-law Rebecca and grandchildren Robert, Ashley (Compton), son-in-law David and stepson Olin (II) and his family. Funeral gathering will begin at Immanuel Lutheran Church (829 E. Pikes Peak Ave.) on October 26, 10:00 a.m., with services at 11 a.m. Graveside service will be in Ft. Payne, Alabama, Whitehall Cemetery on November 2 at 11:00.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, any gifts be sent to Immanuel Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, or the Alabama Sheriffs' Youth Ranches.