Jacob Jack Lyon's Obituary
Jack Lyon, 104, of Delray Beach, FL passed away on January 4, 2020. Beloved husband of the late DeVora (Dee) Benowitz Lyon & is survived by his children Elaine Lyon & Jay Lyon, grand children Jayson (Jennie & Eben) & Joshua (Senicka).
Jacob Herman Lyon was born on a beautiful spring day in 1915 to J. Morris & Esther Brenner Lyon in Hagerstown, MD. He was the youngest of the family, joining older sibling sisters Reba & Sylvia & brother Bernard. Being the child of Jewish immigrant parents, Yonkala/Jacob?Jack spoke only Yiddish. He learned to speak English when he went to kindergarten. From there on out he used his voice to make people laugh & feel good. He grew up in Hagerstown, went to public & Hebrew schools, was Bar Mitzvahed there & in 1934 graduated from Hagerstown High School. Jack always remained close with the many cousins he grew up with in Hagerstown.
He was a people person & began his salesman career early as a young man selling magazines out of town. He also worked at his mother's brother's scrap metal yard. It remained his favorite career, even though he was in an accidental gas tank explosion, was severely burned & it nearly had taken his life. Another gas tank explosion had killed one of his uncles the year before.
In 1942 Jack enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. He was trained & stationed throughout the United States. He drove jeeps for the Tooele/Ogden, Utah. He wanted to date " a nice Jewish girl". Arrangements were made & he was set up on a blind date with Ogden native, DeVora (Dee) Benowitz. He sometimes took her on dates in the Army ambulance. He was 10 years older than she. They fell in love & 6 weeks later were married in the Benowitz family home on 23rd street. Dee's parents, Joseph & Lillian Benowitz only consented to Dee marrying Jack after speaking in Yiddish on the telephone with Jack's parents in Maryland. They were a handsome & beautiful happy couple. They were good, loving, kind, charitable, & a fun loving pair. Their love song was "Always". They were married 68 years.
Jack was honorably discharged from the Army Air Forces in 1946. After leaving the service the couple settled in Ogden, Utah.
Jack & Dee adopted Elaine Barbara in 1951 & completed their family when they adopted Jay Morris in 1953.
Jack worked at & was a salesman for Dee's father's fine men's clothing store, B & B Clothes Shop on Washington Blvd. in downtown Ogden. Jack was always close with the Benowitzes. At B & B he worked for & with father-in-law, Joseph Benowitz, brother-in-law, Ralph Benowitz & 3 of 4 of Ralph's sons, Marshall, Barry & Steve (Scott was too young). Jack worked there for 20 years becoming vice-president. He made many friends & enjoyed the clothing business.
In 1968 Jack proudly opened his own fine men's clothing store in Ogden, Jack Lyon Clothier at 2305 Washington Blvd.. In 1973 he opened The Clothes Gallery, a casual woman's clothing store, at 1150 Washington Blvd.. Jack's entire family of Dee, Elaine & Jay worked at Jack Lyon Clothier & The Clothes Gallery. He held several Jack Lyon golf tournaments. He was very charitable & active in the community. Included in that, Jack was very involved in the Jewish community. He was a respected member & president of Congregation Brith Sholem on Grant Avenue in Ogden. He always proudly blew the Shofar for the Jewish High Holy Days. To this day Jack is well known & respected as a good person & businessman.
Jack & Dee happily became grand parents when Jay & Kim Lyon had children, Jayson & Joshua. Years later Jack sold both his clothing stores & was making the transition to move to Florida in order for he & Dee to live closer to his elderly mother, 2 sisters & family living in Miami. He became a licensed Realtor & was an agent for a short time, once again utilizing his great salesmanship & personal abilities. In 1978 he & Dee moved to Delray Beach, Florida. Jack continued to always work as a salesman. He worked at his cousin's jewelry store & became a certified Gemologist. He was the top salesman for Lord & Taylor in their fine men's clothing department for 10 years until their closing. After that he worked at other stores & continued to work independently for himself. Knee surgery forced him to retire when he was 82, although he still continued to sell watches.
personal abilities. In 1978 he & Dee moved to Delray Beach, Florida. Jack continued to always work as a salesman. He worked at his cousin's jewelry store & became a certified Gemologist . He was the top salesman for Lord & Taylor in their fine men's clothing department for 10 years until their closing. After that he worked at other stores & continued to work independently for himself. Knee surgery forced him to retire when he was 82, although he still continued to sell watches.
Jack & Dee's loving son, Jay moved to Florida in the 1990's. A few years later Jay's son Jayson, wife, Jennie & their son, Eben also moved to Florida, all wanting to live nearer to each other. The family spent many happy times together.
In 2007 Jack & Dee's loving daughter, Elaine, moved to Florida. She moved in with them, took care of them both & managed their care in their final years. It was wonderful that the whole family was finally together once again in the same area.
Jack loved to gamble. He played poker once a week with his card playing buddies for over 50 years & played into his mid 90's. He & Dee loved to go to Las Vegas, Nevada. He started going there in the 1940's. Sometimes they took their children. Throwing a small mattress down on the back car seat for the kids & off they'd go at midnight traveling through Utah's deserts to emerge at dawn in the Nevada desert & roads full of jackrabbits warming up in the early morning sun They'd arrive early in Las Vegas, the adventure already having begun, the fun began. They'd check in to a nice hotel room & then Jack was off to the casino. His family always looked forward to him coming back to their hotel room with pockets bulging with his winnings of casino chips & throwing them all on their bed. Jack & Dee gambled, they swam in the hotel pool & at night they all dressed up & went out to dinner shows. His favorite game to gamble was Craps. In 1995 Jack celebrated his 90. birthday in Las Vegas with many of his close family members & friends. Jack loved the thoroughbred horse races. He was a good handicapper, ultimately teaching his nephew, Louis Ulman & wife, Linda, the skill. He was close to his brother Bernard's sons, Alan Lyon & Harry Lyon, the "Benowitz boys", Marshall, Barry, Steve & Scott & their families & his niece, Toba Ulman Gladstone.
He was a natural artist. A trophy winning bowler. A good & avid golfer & an unabashed joke teller.
His favorite songs were: Everybody Loves Somebody
Always
Begin The Beguine
Johann Strauss' Tales From The Vienna Woods
His favorite singers were: Dean Martin (Jack was often mistaken for the young Dean & was repeatedly chased down & asked for his autograph until he would give in & sign one)
Frank Sinatra
Louie Prima
Jack was a member & president of Brith Sholem of Ogden, Utah, member & president of International Footprint Association, Vice president of B'Nai Brith of Ogden. Utah Secretary-Treasurer El Monte Golf Association
1970 Board Of Directors Patio Springs Country Club
member of Greater Ogden Chamber of Commerce, Fraternal Order of Eagles, The Elks,
Salt Lake City 20 Man Finance Club
member of Oak Hills Country Club, Patio Springs Country Club & Ogden Golf & Country
Club
In 1974 Jack became on Honorary Weber County Deputy Sheriff. He was on many teams, leagues &
committees, certainly all of which are not mentioned.
Jack is preceded by his parents J. Morris & Esther Lyon; sisters Reba Lyon Ulman & Sylvia Lyon Lubman; brother Bernard Lyon; loving wife De Vora (Dee) Lyon; & niece Toba Ulman Gladstone
Jack will be greatly missed by his daughter Elaine Lyon; son Jay Lyon; grandchildren Jayson (Jennie)
Lyon & Joshua Lyon & great grandsons Senicka & Eben, as well as many other treasured family members & dear friends.
Beth Israel Memorial is entrusted with Jacks funeral service on January 19, 2020 & arrangements.
At a later date Jack & Dee's ashes will be interned at Levitt's Aultorest Memorial Park in Ogden, Utah.
For those wishing to make a donation, the family suggests Congregation Brith Sholem, P.O. Box 9741, Ogden, Utah 84409 & the Cancer Research Foundation.
In Jack's own words he said this about himself - " I was a good citizen."
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