Honoring two Lyons pioneer-family members
Happy 92nd Birthday to Maxine Harkalis!
Maxine Harkalis celebrated her 92nd Birthday on Saturday, February 27, with dinner, flowers and family. She said that she was happily surprised at all the cards she got, and even neighbors remembered her birthday. But no party this year with the COVID-19 restrictions.
Maxine is the second child of Art and Golda (Brown) Ohline and grew up on the Ohline Ranch, North of Lyons. She calls it the homestead, and still liked to visit it long after she moved away. Her mother drove them over five miles on rough dirt roads to school. Her siblings are: Arthur (Curly) Ohline Jr. (deceased 1973), Jane Wright of New Mexico, Jean Svilar (deceased 1994), and Jone (Pat) Burdick (deceased 2020). She was married to Pete Harkalis who was a stone mason. He built the original stone arch at the Lyons Elementary School. He passed away in March of 1993. Maxine worked for the St. Vrain Valley School District in the kitchen at both the old and new Lyons Middle/Senior High School for 26 years. Back then they cooked over 90 percent of the lunches from scratch.
All four of her children graduated from Lyons schools: Doug Harkalis of Nevada, Rhonda French of Loveland, Donna Johnson of Milliken, and Nicky Harkalis of Lyons. She has nine grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren with two more on the way before fall 2021.
Maxine is interested in Senior doings, the Lyons Historical Society, Lyons History Video Project, her flowers, playing in the dirt, embroidering, and all her family. To her the best part is being part of five generations three times in her life.
We wish her many more years.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAXINE.
With Sympathy, farewell to Vernon McNeill
Vernon McNeill, 94 years, passed away Friday, February 26. He moved this past summer to the State of Oregon with his granddaughter Jamie and family.
The McNeill’s came to Lyons from Arkansas. He lived on Antelope Road, off Apple Valley Road, for many years with wife, and their sons, Rodney, Doug, and Mike. Betty passed away September 13, 2019, age 91. Sons Rodney and Doug are deceased. He is survived by his son Mike, age 70, who lives in South Dakota, and three nieces, Patty, Janet and Gloria.
Vernon first worked in the quarries with his brother Harold, then at Ball Aerospace. They also lived on Old Main for a period of time; it was across the street from Maxine Harkalis. We thank them for the years of service they gave to Lyons and to school activities. Betty and Ruth Maurer baked pies for the Lions Club for thirty years. Vernon was a charter member of the Lyons Lions Club about 60 years ago.
No services are planned. We express our sympathy.
Thank you to LaVern Johnson and Rhonda French for provided background information.
