Clarence E. Lyons, Capt. USAF Ret., 87 of 608 Greenbrier Drive, Hinton died at 8:20 a.m. Tuesday May 20, 2008 in Summers County A.R.H. following a long illness.

Born May 7, 1921 at Garrison, WV he was the son of the late Roscoe & Fannie Burnside Lyons.

Mr. Lyons grew up on Coal River, graduating from Marsh Fork High School. He worked briefly loading coal until the outbreak of World War II, when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He spent the war in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands, running radio communications stations. Upon his return home in late 1945, he went to work as an Agent for the railroad until the newly formed U.S. Air Force called him back in 1948. In 1951 while serving in Alaska, he received an officer's commission and served as an electronics officer on the Distant Early Warning System until 1955. He served at other bases and returned for his second tour in Alaska in 1960. He became a registered guide & first liscensed taxidermist in Alaska during these tours and upon his retirement as a Captain at Vandenburg Air Force Base with 23 years of service, he returned to Alaska in 1964. He resumed his guiding career & opened AAA Taxidermy, building it into the largest locally owned taxidermy shop in the state. He sold his business in 1971 and moved to Hinton where he opened Bluestone Museum & Taxidermy. Mr. Lyons continued to hunt & fish all around the country and operate his business until 1998 when health problems forced him to slow down. He was an accomplished wildlife photographer, producing four full length wildlife movies & touring the state showing them. He is remembered around Hinton for his jet boat, which he ran up & down New River, bass fishing every day rain or shine. He was also a great fan of country music.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Laura Rae Lyons in June of 1960.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lora E. Jarrell Lyons. One daughter, Jackie Motombo of Culver City, CA. Three sons, Lake Lyone & wife Pam of Hinton, Olaus Lyons & wife Kae of Wessington Springs, SD and Clare Lyons & wife Kim of Hinton. Eight grandchildren; Danny, Brandon & Stacie Motombo of California, Andy Casey & Lorrie Lyons all of Hinton, Willie Lyons & wife Courtney of Jumping Branch and Sidney Lyons of Wessington Springs, SD. One great grandchild, Solomon Lyons of Jumping Branch. One sister, Norma Henderson of Dry Creek, WV.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday May 23, 2008 at Pivont Funeral Home Chapel in Hinton with Rev. Gary Trout officiating. Burial will follow in Restwood Memorial Gardens in Hinton. Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be; John Harris, Norman Farley, Jr., Scott Jarrell, J.W. Peters, Joe Bengey & Duane Rudisill.