Obituary of Leila Janet Lyman

    Leila Janet Lyman, daughter of Frank and Cora (Struyk) Juber was born in Melvin, IA on January 26, 1932. She spent her youth in the Melvin area and attended Melvin Consolidated School. She graduated from Westmar College in Le Mars, IA in 1952 with a two-year teaching certificate.

    Leila taught school in Rock Valley, IA and Sanborn, IA. She was united in marriage to Bernard Lyman on June 28, 1953, and to this union seven children were born. Bernard and Leila spent their entire married life in Sanborn where they owned and operated a flower shop until it burned down in 1960. They opened Lyman’s Ceramics in 1969. After closing the ceramic shop in 2004, Leila continued doing small ceramic projects out of her home. She was a life-long member of the Methodist church and served on several boards and committees within the church. After Bernard passed away on March 12, 1984, Leila stayed in her home in Sanborn and was very active in community organizations. In recent years, she was a foster grandparent at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School. She enjoyed being a homemaker, cooking for her family and others, collecting snowmen, and was an avid “picture-taker” of her family. Her most important hobby was spending time with her family and friends, especially her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

    She passed away on September 21, 2018 in her home surrounded by family. Left to cherish her memory are her children: Doug (Cathy) Lyman, Randy (Candice) Lyman, Jeff (Sheila) Lyman, Lyda (Mel) Norem, Keith “Harv” (Tanya) Lyman, Karen (Roger) Onken; 13 grandchildren; 6 step-grandchildren; 4 adopted grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; 1 step-great-granddaughter; brother, Harvey (Pat) Juber of Melvin, IA; sister-in-law, Joyce Juber of Dubuque, IA; brother-in-law, Jerry Guetschow of Sanborn, IA; sister-in-law, Joyce Lyman of Sibley, IA; and many other relatives and friends. 

    Leila was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Cora Juber; her husband, Bernard Lyman; daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Mike Ferguson; granddaughter, Lisa Lyman; brother, Harold Juber; and sister, Evelyn Guetschow.