10/28/1944 – 12/15/2019
Louis Mosle Lyon filled his 75 years with love of earth, sky and family. Growing up in Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara, Louis’s passions were surfing, “tinkering” with cars and riding motorcycles. During the Vietnam war, he served as a radar technician on the aircraft carrier “USS Princeton.” After his military service, he earned a two-year degree from the community college.
Inspired by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at a SBCC talk, Louis became a Transcendental Meditation teacher. In 1972, Marharishi sent Louis to Mexico City to establish a meditation center there. Louis credited his 40-year, twice-daily practice of TM with sustaining his mental, spiritual and physical well-being.
A carpenter, craftsman and mechanic, Louis helped build his first home on Shepard Mesa Drive in Carpinteria, California. Carrying on a paternal tradition of wood-working, he crafted fine custom furniture.
He married Elizabeth Redditt Lyon, then moved to Corvallis, Oregon, where he launched his business, Land Management Services. He won contracts for roadside brush-cutting throughout western Oregon forests. Midwife-assisted home birth brought two children to Louis and Elizabeth. In 1986 the family moved to Eugene, Oregon. later he divorced then re-partnered in 1994.
Louis treasured his memories of flights shared with his sister. Their parents, both private pilots, flew them to attend summer camps in the San Juan Islands and to visit national parks. During his later years, he enjoyed flying his vintage Cessna 172 and later his Lancair Legacy experimental plane. He liked reminiscing with many pilot friends he met at the Creswell Airport.
He loved working on the 87 acres in the Camas Swale Valley near Creswell owned by his life partner Helen Hollyer, where he built a trail system, well house, greenhouse, pasture shelter, and deer-fenced enclosure that he called Fort Lyon to protect a garden/orchard.
Louis was predeceased by his mother, Muriel Mosle Lyon, and father, Richard Ganson Lyon. He is survived by his sister Kathryn Mosle Lyon of Santa Barbara; and by his son and daughter: Christopher Redditt Lyon and Elaine Carol Redditt Lyon, both of Eugene-Springfield.
A celebration of life is planned for early February 2020 at the Experimental Aircraft Association clubhouse at the Creswell Airport. Kindly post memories on newspress.com
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