Jane Lyons Bird

Jane Elizabeth (Lyons) Bird died peacefully in Cary, North Carolina on October 31, 2023 at the age of 93.

Jane is survived by her children Rebecca Bird, Edward Bird, Amy McAlister, Teresa Dineen and Peter Bird, and her sister Nancy Murphy. She is preceded in death by her husband Lawrence R. Bird and her siblings Susannah Williamson and Thomas Lyons III.

Jane was born on April 14th, 1930 in Washington DC to Kathleen (Ewing) and Thomas Lyons Jr. She met her husband, Larry, in a CPA review course where they were both students – and she was the only woman in the class. They were married in 1954 in Fairfax, VA. She worked for several years as an accountant and bookkeeper. Jane and Larry raised their family in Laurel, Maryland, where the children attended St. Mary’s Elementary School and St. Vincent Pallotti High School. They were members of St. Mary’s of the Mills Catholic Church, where Jane and Larry were actively involved for many years.

Jane was an avid gardener and cat lover. She doted on her garden and yard in Laurel; at her home in NC, her cat Jackie was her constant companion. She was an accomplished seamstress and knitter, making her own wedding dress, and knitting sweaters for each of her 17 grandchildren. Jane and Larry camped with their young family throughout the mid-Atlantic states and continued to camp together after Larry’s retirement. After Larry died in 2010, Jane moved to North Carolina to be near her daughter Amy, who was a devoted caregiver.

The funeral is scheduled for 11:00 am on November 18th, 2023 at St. Mary’s Church in Laurel, Maryland, with a reception to follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Jane’s life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to catangelsnc.org or mealsonwheelsmd.org, where Jane and Larry volunteered for more than a decade.