Past LFA Teacher Passes Away

It is no secret how much I LOVE LFA. But I would never have known this joy were it not for Maureen (Mo). My very first encounter with Mo was completely unexpected and inspiring (much like she is). I happened to be a struggling new lawyer, doing volunteer hours at the Law Courts, helping with School Tour orientations. Mo had brought her Social Studies class, and within seconds, I was never to be the same again. By the time our short conversation came to a close and her students went off to court watch, I vowed to myself that if I ever happened to leave the profession, I’d want to teach Law to the girls at LFA. In hindsight, that’s a pretty specific career goal, but that was Mo’s effect. And here I am, grateful for 11+ years of friendship with Mo, and for all that she has taught her students and myself, not just about Social Studies, but about life and loving. I will miss you dearly, Mo. May you receive all of life’s blessings.

Truly one of God’s most resilient and ebullient creations, Maureen has been a veritable Force of Nature throughout her time at LFA. No matter how early I would come to school, Maureen was always there to greet me with her enthusiasm and energy. I will always remember her entertaining and harrowing tales of driving through the UBC snows to make it to LFA and to her Lyon’s Den, and even then she would arrive at school before me. She will be greatly missed.

I have known Maureen since the ‘70s at St. Mark’s UBC and she was teaching Socials 8 at LFA. For many years Maureen and I taught the Socials 11 course and her results on the Provincials were impressive. The highlight of the years was the time spent marking the two essays on the exam. Like many things; Maureen always put a pleasant spin on the exercise making it less burdensome. That’s what I will miss most at LFA, that British disposition. I guess you could say Brexit has come to LFA. After our trip to England I attached a small Ireland flag to her car antenna. She noticed it right off but being a good sport didn’t remove it. She actually said it made it easier to find her car in the parking lot! I now have a better understanding of why and how the Brits won the Battle of Britain in WWII. Her sense of humour, her laughter, and fortitude will be missed in the halls of LFA!

In the 20-plus years that I have worked with Maureen Lyons, I have seldom had a conversation with her that didn’t involve laughter. Her unabashed sense of humour has been a source of great enjoyment. As the parent of one of her students, I saw a different side of her as a teacher and mentor to my daughter. As this chapter of her long service at LFA comes to a close, I wish her many wonderful trips with her husband, Paul, and a continuing zest for life in the years to come.

Warm, witty, fun, caring. These are the first words that come to mind when I think of Maureen. During the course of more than 27 years that I have known her, she has become someone I can rely on for a cheerful word and a laugh to brighten my day. The many students she chats with in the hallways before homeroom have also come to rely on her for an encouraging word and thoughtful advice. I will miss Maureen and her stories of Monster attacks and wish her well in the next phase of her life on the other side of the teacher’s desk.

I first met Maureen Lyons during my undergraduate years at UBC. We were part of a group of Catholic students who hung out at what was then St. Mark’s College. It was home to the Newman Club, presenting lectures, spiritual retreats, and the ever-popular skit night.

Many years later, I re-connected with Maureen as a colleague at Little Flower Academy. I remember the time Maureen and I led an overseas student trip to Britain and Ireland. We were scheduled to fly to England’s famous Gatwick Airport. Imagine our dismay as world events conspired to meet us head on: by a quirk of fate, our flight was scheduled right in the middle of an unexpected international conflict. There were murmurings of potential terrorist attacks on aircraft in British airspace. It was bizarre.

But, true to form, Maureen stepped up, and never batted an eyelid. She fearlessly breezed through the nervous world of geo-politics with a good humoured snort and the occasional guffaw.

What’s next for the inimitable Maureen Lyons? Maybe she could take on Trump!