Perry Iles Lyons

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Perry Iles Lyons, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lyons, was born at Vicks
burg, Mississippi, June 19, 1888. His early education and training were received in the public schools of Vicksburg, and in September, 1906, he entered the agricultural course at the Mississippi A. and M. College.

Although privileged to receive only one year of college training, he made a deep impression upon all who knew him. As characteristic of his family, Perry Lyons was known to his instructors and friends by his ability, accuracy, and high regard for the truth.

At the time war was declared Perry was employed as traveling representative of the Sherwin-  Williams Paint Company, with head-quarters in New Orleans, Louisiana. He gave up his position, and entered the aviation section of Uncle Sam's army, and at the time of his death was completing his training at Barron Field, Fort Worth, Texas.

On October 10, 1918, within three days of the day upon which he was to receive his commission, Perry Lyons and two other cadets were flying in "three formation" when his machine collided with one of the others and injured his control. He immediately began a spiral to descend, but owing to the injury to his machine the spiral was not wide enough, and just as a bird wounded in one wing cannot control his flight, so Perry's plane quickly changed to a nose dive, and he crashed to the earth a fall of 3,500 feet. Death was instantaneous.

Possessing an attractive personality, a brilliant mind, and an unselfish heart, Perry Lyons was an exceptional type of man

His mother, Mrs. Jessie D. Lyons, of Vicksburg, two sisters, and two brothers are left to mourn his loss.

His body, in its flag-draped casket, was forwarded to his home at Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he was laid to rest on Saturday after noon, October 12, 1918