Air traffic controller.
Born at Winnipeg on 16 April 1933 to Anne Herron Smith “Minnie” Lindsay (1903-1994) and Cecil Joseph Henry Lyon (1902-1963), he started his work life as an air traffic controller, organizing and then becoming the first President of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association. He also served as City Councillor for West Kildonan, Chairman of the Seven Oaks School Division, and President and CEO of the Canadian Business Aviation Association (1992-2000). After he and his wife moved to Ottawa, he was a Trustee for the Carleton Board of Education.
In 1956, he married Valerie Kinley and they went on to have three children. In retirement, they enjoyed returning to their Matlock Beach cottage (“Lyon's Den”) to spend their summers. As an accomplished curler, he represented Newfoundland in the 1960 Brier and Manitoba in the 1961 Brier, both times as skip. He was also an avid sailor, golfer, and skier and made a point of involving his children and grandchildren in those activities. Shortly before his death, two of his grandsons won the 2010 Ontario school boys curling championship.
He died at Ottawa on 29 July 2010 and was buried in the Chapel Lawns Memorial Gardens.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 4 August 2010.
“John-David ‘JD’ Lyon,” Slator/Watson/ Lindsay/Johnson Family Tree, Ancestry.
“John-David ‘JD’ Lyon,” FindAGrave.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 10 November 2025
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