Jean Alyce Lein Meyer Lyons

Jean Alyce Meyer Lyons, 85, died peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, having been in failing health for some time. She was born Aug. 26, 1936, in Clinton, Iowa, to J. Richard and Josina Johannsen Lein.

A graduate of Clinton High School, she was a pianist and organist. She began playing organ at the early morning service at Zion Lutheran Church in Clinton when she was just 15 years old.

Her father would listen to the radio broadcast and inform her later if she had made any mistakes ... telling her she had to play her very best when the service was being broadcast. She learned to play nearly perfectly.

In her first marriage, she lived in Clinton and Freeport, Ill., Beloit and Appleton, Wis., and Lima, Ohio, and Buffalo Grove, Ill. She was a full-time organist at the church she attended in each of those cities, beginning in Freeport, Ill. She played with passion, to the glory of God, and was beside herself when she was lucky enough to be playing a four manual pipe organ.

She also played piano at the luncheons of many service organizations while living in Lima. In later years after moving to Buffalo Grove, Ill., she played parttime in the church she attended and substituted at several other churches. After retiring to Ellijay, she played piano for her church and again substituted at other area churches.

She worked as a bookkeeper at Pillsbury Company in Clinton, and after moving away from Clinton, was primarily a housewife, mother and church organist. She was an accomplished seamstress, making her own suits and dresses and dresses for her daughters. She won several sewing contests in Iowa during the 1950s and 1960s. She sold Avon for a period of time and was always involved in Welcome Wagon/Neighbor and Friends groups, and was a member and past president of the Lima Women’s Symphony Orchestra Guild during the 1970s and early 1980s.

She is preceded in death by parents and brother, Jarold Lein; first husband, Wayne Meyer; and second husband, James Lyons.

She is survived by sister, JoAnn (Peter) Bryant, of Cedar Rapids Iowa; sister-in-law, Paulette Lein, of West Bloomfield, Mich.; daughter, Vicky Meyer Burkett, of Portage, Mich.; son, Steve Meyer, of Ellijay; daughter, Laura (Dustin) Wingate, of Vanlue, Ohio; son, Scott (Sue) Meyer, of Houston, Texas; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews; step-children, Natalie (Randy) McCrory, of Rogers, Ariz., and Kevin (Jennifer) Lyons, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; grandchildren, Joshua (Tanya) Meyer, of Gibsonburg, Ohio, Ryan (Jennica) Burkett, of Lawrence, Mich., John Henry (Carly) Burkett, of Decatur, Mich., Zachary Meyer and Alexander Meyer, of Houston, Texas, Tyler Wingate and Travis Wingate, of Vanlue, Ohio; step-grandchildren, Jason (Rebecca) McCrory and Chelsea (Ryan) Elam, of Bentonville, Ariz., Adam Lyons, of Ames, Iowa, Allison Lyons, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Reece Suckow, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; great-grandchildren: Katelyn, Maizie and Madelyn Meyer, Riley and Tristan Pacak, Collin, Bridgit, Nolan, Raegan and Lincoln Burkett, and step-great-grandchildren, Shayla Tucker, Adriana Tucker, Malachi Tucker, Xoe McCrory, Xander McCrory, Nella Elam and Tucker Suckow.

The family will hold a private service at a later date.

Memorial donations can be made to the Hope Lutheran Church Building Fund, 3295 Old Highway 5 South, Ellijay, GA 30540, in Jean’s memory.

Bernhardt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.