She was born in South Boston, MA on March 16, 1921 to Margaret Mary (Davitt) Lyons and John Joseph Lyons. She received the name Marjorie Ann at baptism. She had two brothers, John J. and Paul and three sisters, Dorothy, Elizabeth and Marie. Her parents and siblings have predeceased her. Marjorie Ann graduated from No. Quincy High, in No. Quincy, MA in 1939. After graduating high school she worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Boston from 1939 to 1947.
Marjorie Ann entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation from Sacred Heart Parish, No. Quincy, MA in the Archdiocese of Boston on September 6, 1947 at the “Venard” the Maryknoll Preparatory Seminary in Pennsylvania. She received her religious habit six months later at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY and received the religious name Sister Margaret John. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1950 and her Final Vows three years later both at Maryknoll Sisters Center. She was assigned to work in the Treasurer’s Office, and in 1952 to the Booking Department at the FIELD AFAR office (now the Maryknoll Magazine). From 1954 to 1957 she studied at the Maryknoll Teacher’s College and graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree. In 1957, she was assigned to her first overseas mission in Chile, South America where she worked for 24 years in parish elementary and high schools. From 1971 until 1984, she worked in poor squatter areas of Chile, with other Sisters, helping to train leaders and forming basic Christian Communities.
In 1984, Sister Margaret was called back to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to serve as Assistant Treasurer until 1988. She was then assigned to El Salvador, Central America where she did pastoral work until 2004. She was then assigned to Monrovia, CA where she did volunteer work at the Monrovia Civic Community. She returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to retire in 2006.
A Vespers service will be held for Sister Margaret on January 6 at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. A funeral Mass will follow on January 7 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.