The University Record, November 19, 1997
John A.M. Lyon
John A.M. Lyon, professor emeritus of electrical engineering and computer science, died Nov. 11 after a month-long illness. He was 85.
Lyon attended Wayne State University and the U-M, from which he held four degrees, a B.S.E. in electrical engineering and in mathematics and an M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering.
Prior to joining the U-M he was on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins University and Northwestern University, where he also was chair of electrical engineering for six years. He was with the U-M for 23 years and served one year as interim chair of the department.
He served in the Navy during World War II in radar and electronic development.
Lyon was the author and co-author of numerous technical papers and was a consultant to the U.S. Army for the protection of electric power systems from nuclear detonations.
He was cited as a Distinguished Alumnus by the College of Engineering and received the Western Electric Fund Award for Excellence in Instruction of Engineering Students and the Stephen S. Attwood Distinguished Engineering Achievement Award. He served as president of the National Electronics Conference and national president of Eta Kappa Nu, and was a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Lyon was born Oct. 9, 1912, in Saginaw. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty. He is survived by his son, William, of Ada, Okla.; daughter, Nancy, of Ann Arbor; and granddaughters, Laura Curtis and Beth Kirton, both of Ann Arbor.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 1432 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.
