In 1984, Robert L. Lyon and Elizabeth Reeves Lyon created the Lyon Merit Achievement Scholarship to support hard-working Durham Tech students. What began as a simple act of generosity grew into a scholarship that, over more than 40 years, has shaped the educational journeys of nearly 80 students. Today, the Robert L. Lyon and Elizabeth Reeves Lyon Memorial Scholarship is fully endowed and continues to generate enough income to award three to four scholarships every year — support that will last in perpetuity.
As adults, the Lyons’ daughters, Linda Lyon Turner and Dr. Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Lyon-Smith, were inspired to build upon their parents’ legacy. They contributed to the scholarship themselves and were joined by friends and former Trustees who had served alongside Mr. Lyon during the 1980s and 1990s.
But as Mrs. Turner and Dr. Lyon-Smith learned more about the lives of Durham Tech students, they began to see a challenge that traditional scholarships alone could not solve. Many students face food and housing insecurity or unexpected emergencies — needs that tuition-based aid cannot address.
Moved by these realities and guided by their parents’ lifelong commitment to giving, the sisters established a new endowed fund: the Lyon Sisters Endowment for Student Support. This fund provides roughly $1,000 each year to help students facing critical, short-term needs that could derail their progress. Sometimes, something as ordinary as a flat tire can threaten a student’s ability to complete a credential. Emergency assistance offers a lifeline at exactly the right moment.
Collectively, the Durham Tech Foundation now distributes approximately $75,000 each year in emergency financial support — a daunting but inspiring effort to meet students where they are. Families like the Lyons, whose generosity spans generations, are ensuring that all Durham Tech students have the resources they need to succeed in college, at work, and in life.
The Lyon family’s story is one of commitment, compassion, and belief in the power of education — and their impact will continue to be felt for decades to come.