John Lewis Lyle of Melissa, Texas passed away on November 1, 2021 at the age of 91. He was born on May 24, 1930 to Carl Logan and Ethel Amber (Coursey) Lyle in Blackwell, Oklahoma. John was an engineer for Ford Motor Company for 35 years and a member of First United Methodist Church McKinney.
Although John was born during the Great Depression he felt abundantly blessed by his upbringing from his parents and having his two brothers as his companions. He learned the value of hard work and discipline that would serve him well the rest of his life.
John had a close-knit group of friends growing up in Blackwell. He became known as the fun-loving kid that would tinker with cars and turn corners in his 1930’s Ford on two wheels. Some of the parents referred to him as “Suicide Lyle” and would not let their kids ride to school with him. John combated this by waiting around the corner from their houses so the parents wouldn’t see. His first job in town was working at the movie theater, however he got fired because he kept eating all of the popcorn. A trait of loving snacks and candies that would last the rest of his life.
After high school, John joined the Army in the 45th Infantry Division and served in the Korean War. After the war, he came back to Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. John was a member of the highly decorated OSU Wrestling team and a member of the marching band playing the tuba.
It was at OSU where he met his wife, Paula. Their story is something that could be written as a movie. Paula was engaged when they met. She was needing a ride home to Blackwell’s rival town Ponca City and one of her friends suggested she get in touch with John who went home every weekend to work in the coal factory to earn money. John gave her a ride to Ponca City and suggested they go see a movie. After the movie he went to drop her off at her house to her dad waiting on the front porch. John overcame this for a second date and gained the admiration of Paula’s parents. A lot of their friends said it wouldn’t work, they were married for 67 years.
From an early age John was enthralled with tools and engines. He enjoyed taking engines apart and putting them back together. John became an expert engineer and carpenter. He could build anything and fix anything. There was never a need to call a repair man because he was it. John built his own garage at his family’s home in Farmers Branch, Texas and could be found riding his tractor at his farm in Booneville, Arkansas. In his late 30’s John also earned his pilot’s license. He would travel to his daughter’s performances as the feature twirler at Oklahoma State.
After graduating from OSU, John became a teacher at Tulsa Memorial High School. He taught shop and was the defensive coordinator for the football team and the head wrestling coach. A few years later a Ford recruiter stopped by one day and offered him his dream job on the spot. He, his wife, and daughter moved to Dallas in 1964 where he started his long career as an engineer for Ford. After retiring in 1999, John and Paula moved up to Melissa to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren in McKinney. Later John continued his fondness of tools and building with the FUMC-McKinney group Hands and Hammers. The group travels around the area to help families reconstruct or update their homes in need of repair. John enjoyed the camaraderie and being the oldest guy with the most knowledge still using power tools.
John had a love for antique cars with his favorite being his 1930 Ford Model A. He purchased it because he wanted a vehicle the same age as him. This led John and Paula to join the Dallas Model A Ford Club of which they met numerous great friends. They enjoyed going to swap meets and traveling the country with the club. A small group of them would go out to eat together every Wednesday for years and years.
John was a kind, trustworthy, hardworking, selfless person. The kind of warm person that made everyone feel like he was their dad/grandpa. He was a great man, and the world will sorely miss him.
He is survived by his wife, Paula (Shirer) Dawn of Melissa, Texas; grandsons, A.J. Newton and his wife, Elizabeth of Sugar Land, Texas and Michael Newton of New York City, New York; great-granddaughter, Amelia Newton; and a host of other family members and friends.
He is preceded in death by his daughter, Tracy Dawn Newton; son, John Michael Lyle; parents, Carl and Ethel Lyle; brothers, Roy and Carl, Jr.
The family will receive friends during a visitation on Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held in Booneville, Arkansas on Saturday, November 6, 2021.