Elizabeth (Umbach) Lyons, 101½ of Simsbury, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, August 26, 2021. Born on March 2, 1920, in Topeka, KS to the late Rev. Edward M. and Mary Edna (Good) Umbach, and stepdaughter to Mary P. Dawson Umbach, Beth was raised in Elizabethton, TN. A graduate of Maryville College in Elizabethton, she majored in Home Economics and English, was the editor of her college newspaper, and played the saxophone in the college band. Beth was predeceased by Donald W. Lyons, her beloved husband of 58 years. Beth met Don in Syracuse, NY when that handsome Army Sargeant offered to make footprints in the snow for her as they walked to work one winter day. They planned a June wedding and were married in 1944 on what turned out to be D-Day. While raising their three girls, Beth and Don lived in Rochester, Kenmore, Clarence, and Schenectady, NY before retiring to Pompano Beach, FL. During their years in Western New York, Beth was a teacher of the partially sighted, working for BOCES in the greater Buffalo area. She earned her Master’s Degree in Education at Buffalo State College. Always a volunteer, Beth read and recorded printed material for “Insight for the Blind”, the Ft. Lauderdale organization that serves individuals with visual impairment and provides talking books for the Library of Congress. Beth also served as President of her PEO Florida Chapter EE. In 2000, in order to be near their daughters, Beth and Don moved back north to Simsbury and lived in one of the cottages on the McLean campus. It was at this time that Beth became active in the McLean Auxiliary working for many years in their Gift Shop. Several years ago, she was honored as a McLean Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year. Beth was a part of the McLean community for the rest of her life. Beth loved gardening, literature, and art. She was a talented needleworker and life-long crafter, but her specialty was sewing. Beth is also pre-deceased by her two brothers Robert and Valmore Umbach, her special cousin Florence Stauffer Kemp, and others in her extended family.

She is survived by her three loving daughters Mary Donna Lyons (Bob Kramer) of Granby, CT and Naples, FL, Barbara Lyons-Perez (Ron Talbot) of Naples, FL, and Doris Lyons Rothe (Art McMannus) of Simsbury, CT. Beth is also survived by 4 grandchildren Roberto Perez-Lyons (Leah), Jennifer Elizabeth Rothe Theodoratos (Paul), Julia Elizabeth Perez-Lyons (Dariush Echeverria), Stuart Rothe (Katelyn), by her 8 great-grandchildren Olivia, Alanna, George, Harvey, Ariana, Ariella, Evelyn and Dariush, and by her nieces and nephews and their families. Beth’s family is grateful to her McLean friends and staff who supported Beth in so many ways during her many years residing within the McLean community. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, friends may honor Beth through donations made in her memory to the McLean Auxiliary, McLean Health Center, 75 Great Pond Road, Simsbury, CT.

Service will be held at St. Alban’s Church, 197 Bushy Hill Road in Simsbury, on Saturday, September 4 at 11:00 AM. The Vincent Funeral Home of Simsbury is caring for the arrangements. Please Beth’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfuneral home.com for online tributes.