Elizabeth Lyons

Elizabeth “Betsy” Lyons was born Nov. 9, 1946, in New York City to Dr. Walter C. and Jane Hoyt Lamb. She was married to David M. Lyons for 54 years and moved to South Dakota in 1970 when Dave was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base.  They opened Leather Unlimited in 1972, tooling their own leather until moving the store to the mall in 1978.

Her love of cooking was the platform to open Someone’s in the Kitchen in 1988, which they ran until retiring in 2012.

It’s hard to put into words the energy that Betsy approached life with. She was an eternal optimist. Her generosity, laughter and kindness knew no bounds. 

She loved cooking, good food, good wine and good friends. She was always getting outdoors hiking around the Black Hills and took many bike trips with friends around the U.S. and Europe.

Since being diagnosed with ALS in 2021 she never gave up hope and always believed she would get better. Her tenacity and determination kept all of us going. Her absence leaves an immense hole in our family but her strength surrounds us.

Betsy passed away Oct. 25, 2023, from complications of ALS. She was 76. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother- and sister-in-law, Peter and Dorothy Lamb. 

Betsy is survived by her husband, Dave; two daughters, Michelle (Ryan Upjohn) Lyons and Lisa (Matt) Easler; three grandchildren, Dylan Upjohn and Brooks and Cale Easler; four brothers, Jim (Vicki) Lamb, John (Pam) Lamb, Rich (Andrea) Lamb and Chuck (Ria) Lamb; sister, KD Nunes; nieces and nephews, Jeni (Chris) Rogers, Amy Lamb, Anna and Matt McCormick, Sarah (Chris) Chambers and John Andrew (Beth) Lamb, Rachel and Megan Nunes. 

A celebration of life will be planned for Spring/Summer 2024.