Maryknoll, NY: Sister Nancy Lyons died on January 19, 2025 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 89 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 44 years.
On May 19, 1936, Agnes Mary Lyons was born in Hamilton, Scotland to Bridget Dougan Lyons and Michael Lyons. She had three brothers and three sisters; her brother Michael and his wife Betta survive her.
From 1950 to 1953, Sister Nancy attended St. Mary’s High School in Hamilton, Scotland. She earned her R.N. certificate from Law General Hospital in 1960 in Carluke, Scotland. In 1961, she immigrated to Cleveland, OH and worked at Mt. Sinai Hospital before moving to Oakland, CA in 1963 where she worked at St. Mary’s Hospital. In 1967, she became a citizen of the United States. She became OR manager and then Supervisor for 7 years at St. Mary’s Hospital, during which time she also helped design its new surgical suite. She resigned her position in 1979. Sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, she went to Thailand to work in a Cambodian refugee camp from 1979 to 1980.
She entered the Maryknoll Sisters at Maryknoll, NY on August 22, 1981 from St. Stephen’s Parish, Oakland, CA. She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on December 11, 1982 in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Vows on May 4, 1989 in Kworijik Camp, Juba na Bari.
In 1983, she was assigned to Kenya-Sudan Region where she did health work and organized a nursery school. In 1985, she was assigned to Kworijik, a village outside of Juba. She had a natural talent with little children and before long, dozens of little pre-school children and toddlers were lining up to be fed porridge prepared for the school children; and a health program for the mothers and their babies was also soon started.
In July 1986, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) had the Juba area under siege. Nancy and Sister Sean Underwood, a Medical Missionary, were told it was safe to go to Kworijik. After entering the mission compound, they were attacked, captured by an SPLA patrol, and made to walk for miles to the rebel camp. There they were held for five days and released the night of the fifth day. The governor of Juba declared them “persona non grata”, expelling the two from the country. Bishop Paride Taban intervened to declare that they were not spies, but missionaries working to help the people. After many tries to get a visa back into the Sudan, Nancy succeeded in 1987 and returned to Kworijik.
In 1992, Sr. Nancy left Sudan again when all missionary expatriates were ordered to leave by the Khartoum government. After months of rest and medical exams at Maryknoll, NY Sr. Nancy and her MKS Sudan community returned to Sudan upon the invitation of Bishop Paride Taban of the Torit Diocese. In 1993, they settled in Acholi tribal parish of Loa. Then in 1994, Bishop Paride Taban moved the Maryknoll Sisters to Chukudum among the Didinga Tribe.
From 1994 to 1997, in Chukudum Sr. Nancy helped organize classes to teach teenage girls and women, reactivate the parish women’s center and helped in the new Diocesan Pastoral Center for training diocesan catechists and teachers.
In 1997, Sr. Nancy returned to Scotland to take care of her mother until her death in 2000. Sister returned to Maryknoll for Congregational Services and medical attention before returning to Africa in 2001. Returning to Africa, she volunteered her services in the Kibera Parish. She helped establish schooling for children. Finding women who were willing to learn and become kindergarten teachers, changing the lives of children living in unbelievable conditions.
Once again returning to the United States in 2007 Sister was assigned the Oakland, CA where she volunteered her services. From 2008 to 2014, she visited the Women’s Federal Detention Center, Monument Crisis Center and Contra Costa County Hospice Care.
In 2015, she moved to Monrovia, CA a semi-retirement facility for Maryknoll Sisters. Here she stayed for eight years. When her health started to decline, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Eden Community in Maryknoll, NY where her health needs could be cared for. Here she stayed until her death on January 19, 2025.
Funeral Services:
A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Nancy Lyons on Wednesday, January 28, 2025 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.