PERRY AND ZEPHYRHILLS, FLA. – Lila Pearl Lyons, 95, transitioned to her new home with the Lord and Savior, Feb. 9, 2013, in Zephyrhills, Fla., where she lived for almost 30 years. Lila was born March 30, 1917, and raised in Perry, with her parents and eight siblings.
As a young woman she was employed to manage the domestic duties for another family until she met and married her husband, Harland Lyons of 62 years. Later Lila started a successful home doughnut business in an old converted school house, where she would deep fry doughnuts in an old black cast iron pot and sell them at the local retail, Perry Farmers Union store where her husband worked. She never imagined that the donut shop would expand into a successful small family business delivering “Lila’s Donuts” to several local town retailers for 11 years. After selling the business, Lila moved to New Hampshire for a few years with her husband to continue raising her family of four children; later moved to Zephyrhills, Fla., where she enjoyed family, friends and attending events at Betmar Retirement Park and later at West Winds and Pond’s Edge Assisted Living facilities. Lila was an active member of Perry Grange and Perry Baptist Church for many years. Cooking was her passion and she also enjoyed gardening and sewing, but spending time with family was most important to her.
In addition to her parents, Lila was predeceased by her husband, Harland Lyons and her oldest daughter, Shelia Spaulding. She is survived by three children, Vaughn Lyons and wife, Yumi, of Zephyrhills, Fla., Joyce Rider and her husband, Gary, of Washougal, Wash., and Judy Soucy and husband, Fred, of Rochester, N.H. She is also survived by her sister, Eleanor Dolan of Zephyrhills; seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held at Dennysville Cemetery in the spring. Services are by Mays Funeral Home, Calais and Eastport. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.maysfuneralhome.com.
Lila Pearl Lyons
