FRED THOMAS LYONS, SR. was born in Bristol, Tennessee on January 21, 1946 to the late Roberta and John Henry Lyons. From a young age, Fred was fascinated by the fact that his hometown was split between two states. He spent most of his time on Bristol's Virginia side, where his grandparents, the late Martha and Thomas Law, lived and raised him.  At the age of 16, Fred took a Greyhound bus alone to New York City.  He moved in behind the Apollo Theater with his mother Roberta, where he frequently saw musical acts like James Brown practice.  In 1964, Fred enrolled in Benjamin Franklin High School located on East 116th Street near the FDR Drive. While still attending high school, he worked part-time cleaning the office of Amran Nowak and Associates, which later turned into a full-time job editing footage for commercials.  Despite being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968, Fred maintained his positive outlook and proudly served as a paratrooper in Vietnam and other parts of South East Asia until 1970. During his service, Fred was a member of Infantry 105 and worked his way up the ranks from Sergeant to Squad Leader. Fred's heroic achievements were recognized with the Bronze Star Medals (BSM) and the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) awards that he received.  Fred obtained his Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University in 1974 and worked as a pre-school teacher until 1979. He then worked as a Store Manager for F.W. Woolworth Company in Harlem from 1980 to 1990, where he met his future wife, Betty.  Fred was a caring and supportive educator who enjoyed helping others with their interests and passions.  In 1997, Fred began teaching adult learners pursuing their GED at Abyssinian's Annie G. Newsome Headstart, and in 2000, he became a career coach at Wildcat Service Corporation, where he helped former inmates and new immigrants learn and apply concepts for professional development.  Despite a paralyzing stroke in 2011, Fred remained positive and active, making every effort to stay connected with his family. Fred transitioned peacefully on March 29, 2023 at 4:36 pm, leaving behind a legacy of warmth, love, guidance, and humor that will be deeply missed by those who knew him.  Fred is survived by his loving wife, Betty, his three daughters - Ashanti, Aisha, and Fashion - as well as his son, Fred Jr. and stepson, Calvin. He also leaves behind his brothers, John, Daphony, and Larry, and his nieces Roberta and Nicole. Fred was a proud grandfather to twelve grandchildren - Michelle, Vincent, Brandon, Noah, Chloe, Boris, Elijah, Malcolm, Adam, Zhoe, Ashanti, and Iyanna - and a great- granddaughter named Miyoko. Along with his family, he is also survived by many other relatives and friends who will deeply miss him.

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