Richard Grant Lyon

Richard Grant Lyon passed away after a short illness on Friday, December 22, 2023, in Bozeman, MT. He was 77 years old.

Born on July 13, 1946, in Wilmington, DE, to Donald and Martha Lyon, Richard was a graduate of Brandywine High School, Haverford College, and Harvard Law School. He was a devoted alumnus of Haverford and in 2018 was awarded the Charles Perry Award for exemplary service to the College.

Upon graduation from Harvard Law, he went to work in New York City at Sullivan & Cromwell and then became the General Counsel & Secretary of Ericsson Telecommunications Company, which brought him to Dallas. He later became a partner at the largest law firm in Dallas at the time, Johnson & Gibbs, and later at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Richard loved hiking, backpacking, skiing, fly fishing, and being outdoors in his beloved Montana. He actively participated in volunteer backcountry trail maintenance, weed and erosion control, fence removal, and similar tasks, working with the Forest Service, Park Service, and a number of private volunteer organizations to plan and lead the work. Additionally, he traveled the world to experience nature in multiple countries and continents. .

He was a lover of the fine arts, opera in particular, and was an excellent chef. He hosted numerous dinner parties welcoming neighbors and friends and continued to be active with his Dallas book club after moving to Montana.

Richard was the president of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Foundation and served on the governance committee of the Gallatin Community Collaborative. He was active with other conservation-oriented nonprofit organizations in Bozeman and elsewhere in Montana. He was also active with the Bridger Canyon Property Owners Association.

Richie, as he was affectionately known by his family, was predeceased by his parents and his brother, David Lyon. He is survived by his sister, Evelyn Brownlee; his nieces, Erin Brownlee Dell (Kyle), Anne Brownlee, Robin Lyon; nephew, Jay Lyon; grand-niece, Phoebe Dell, great grand-nephew, Samuel Dell; and his beloved dog, Whisper.

His keen intellect and wry sense of humor were a hallmark of his professional and personal life.

He will be sorely missed by his community of family, friends, and colleagues across the globe.

A celebration of Richard's life will be held at a later date.