Payson Lyon

KNOXVILLE - Payson

Lyon, of Oak Ridge and Knoxville TN passed away at home on Monday October 9, 2023. He was surrounded by his children in the final weeks and thanks to the grace and generosity of his community and friends was able to have a safe, dignified, and peaceful end. He was born Richard Payson Lyon on May 5th, 1945, to Barbara Kennedy Lyon and Richard Norton Lyon of Oak Ridge and was known as “Rick” growing up in Oak Ridge. In pursuing his music career, he changed his name to Payson in the mid 80’s. He served in the Merchant Marines from 1966-1968, including service in Vietnam. He is survived by his first wife Corinne Johnston, now Jorgensen, and their three children together Erica Lyon, Joshua Lyon, and Nyssa Lyon, and his second wife Kristina Clark and their three children Richard Lyon, Katherine Lyon, and Josie Lyon. Payson was a dedicated musician and teacher. Throughout his career he chose jobs that served the marginalized or unsupported, working jobs in halfway houses, as a music teacher in a school for children born with substance exposure, and at Bledsoe County Correctional Complex, where he was the director of a violent offender program, using music therapy to support healing and reformation. He was passionate about his music and about bringing out the innate musical skill of others. A celebration of life will be held on January 20th, 2024, at the Museum of Appalachia at 2pm. The family expresses their gratitude for the kindness shown to their father by his community, friends, family, and students in his last months.