DR. LYON: Tribute to a great man

I went to Dr. Wilbur Lyon’s memorial Friday and saw a number of old friends and all of his family. I had the opportunity to know Bill and Joan, his wife, from 1966 to now. I have met some really good men in my time and if I had to rank them I believe I would place Bill at the top of the list. He set the bar for humility, sympathy, contributing to mankind, being a good family man, and just being a good guy.

I received calls many time in the evening from Joan to come over and play chess with Bill, because he had a bad day in surgery or lost a patient and on and on. He cared for his patients and it really bothered him when he lost one. I can only count a few times I beat him at chess. He was our family doctor as well as my golf buddy and we did investments together.

He was an avid card player and probably one of the brightest guys I ever knew. He talked in a low voice and I am not sure if I ever saw him raise his voice in anger. I have a philosophy that there is a wall of life and each human being either contributes to that wall by putting bricks in to help mankind while others take the bricks out. Bill placed many bricks in that wall and those of us still here on Earth will continue to benefit from his additions to that special wall.

JAMES CROWE

Coeur d’Alene