Veronica Maude Lyons

Veronica Maude (Clarke) Lyons, 95, passed away on October 22, 2020 at Frederick Hospital. Veronica was born in the town of Redditch Worcestershire, UK. She was the daughter of Ernest and Margaret Helen (Laing) Clarke.  A few weeks after her birth the family moved to Wellfield Estate then to Pitliver Estate Dunfermlin, Fife, Scotland where her father was the Polo pony trainer.

As a teen she worked at the hotel across from the famous St. Andrews Golf Course. She was an avid horse woman, and learned to drive large trucks to transport horses to events at a very early age.  In this day there was no synchronized transmission and no power anything. During WWII she wanted to join the Army as a truck driver, but failed the physical because she did not weigh enough. Veronica joined the women’s land army; she was assigned to work for a retired Admiral on the south coast of England in the restricted area, where the troops and equipment for D day were being assembled. She would see the German bombers and “Buz” bombs flying over, and dog fights between the Allied aircraft and the Germans, she also watched the thousands of Allied aircraft flying over to Normandy on D day.  A sight and sound she will never forget. Veronica worked as a school cook for many years in England, and also for the Frederick County School Board until retired. She was an amazing cook who rarely ever had to look up a recipe.

Her many interests included cooking, reading, gardening, and dancing on the weekends, often at the Air Force Bases where she met her future husband David Lyons. He was from the village of Largo in Fife Scotland. Veronica and David were married at Pershore, Abbey on May 29, 1950. They had two sons, Michael J. Lyons of Walkersville and Alastair M. Lyons of Mt. Airy. The family immigrated to the US, and moved to Mt. Airy Maryland 1970.

In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by sister, Florence Begent, RN, brother-in- law, Peter Begent, niece, Shelia Begent Cove, RN, daughter-in-law, Wendy Lyons, and her beloved German Sheppard “Lady.”

She leaves behind her two sons, grandson John T. Lyons and granddaughter Petrina D. Grimes, her precious great-granddaughters, Samantha A. Grimes, Danelle E. Bare, and Katelin E. Bare, her loving great-grandsons, Mayson W. Lyons and Ian D. Lyons, niece Victoria Allen, Swindon, UK, and nephew, Ian Begent Cover, Basing Stoke, UK.

A receiving of friends will be held from 1-2pm Sunday, November 1, 2020 where a memorial service begin at 2PM at Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 East Church Street, Frederick, MD, 21701.
Due to Covid restrictions attendance will be limited and family asks that you confirm with Mike [email protected] your attendance. Interment will be at a later date in Largo, Scotland.