John "Bob" Robert Lyon

John Robert Lyon, 85, passed away August 26, 2022 at The Hospice House, VA Hospital in Salisbury, North Carolina. A memorial service will be held at Whitley’s Funeral Home Chapel, 1748 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis, NC on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Dennis Craft officiating. The family will receive friends at Whitley’s prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Interment will immediately follow the services at Carolina Memorial Park with full military honors presented by the Cabarrus County Veterans Honor Guard.

Bob was born March 27, 1937 in Hammond, Indiana, the son of John and Helen Teirhau Lyon. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sisters, Patti Lyon and Barbara Lyon and his sons, Michael Lyon and Bill Lyon. He is survived by his wife, Robin Wilhelm Lyon; his sons, Matthew Lyon of Phoenix, AZ, Jerry Lyon of Sedona, AZ and John Lyon of Seattle, WA; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

After graduating high school, Bob served in the United States Army from 1960-1962 training horses for the Army Pentathlon with special interest in jumping horses. After discharge from the Army, he went to California and began working with his brother-in-law Robert Fuller in the movie industry. He acted in roles for the television series Laramie and Wagon Train, and in Alfred Hitchcock movies. He also worked as a stunt man in Columbia Pictures’ western movies. Bob began training quarter horses in California and Arizona in the early 1970’s. He and Robin met at the Scottsdale Community College where Bob was on the faculty. They married and moved to North Carolina in 1986 where he continued to train quarter horses privately. Bob was a certified AQHA Judge traveling internationally to judge shows. He retired as a job superintendent for Barger Construction Company in Mooresville, NC.

Horses were Bob’s lifetime hobby and passion. He trained winning reining horses for Robin who excelled in the competitive arena. His mare, Annie, was his forever favorite. His dream was to train and show one of Annie’s fillies for competition. Bob’s dream came true last month when Lucy won a division of the SERHA 3-year-old Futurity in Raleigh, NC. He will be remembered by many for his love of horses, his commitment to their riders and his enduring bond with the equestrian soul.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to The Dale Wilkinson Memorial Crisis Fund, % Leslie Baker, Reining Horse Foundation, 3021 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73107 or online at www.reiningfoundation.com/boblyon. Donations may also be sent to the NC Quarter Horse Crisis Fund, % Lynn Bodine, 229 Heritage Place, Mooresville, NC 28115.