Pamela Sue Morrison Lyman passed away peacefully on October 14, 2021 in Lehi, Utah. Pam was born on May 6, 1943 in Delta, Utah, to Richard Snow Morrison and Wanda LaVonne Taylor Morrison.
Pam lived a full life but her greatest joy was her family. She was very proud of her five children; all of them served missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and all of them graduated from BYU. They are all now raising families of their own.
Pam excelled in her various careers - from nurse, to teacher, to small business owner, to health program director. She was also a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as Relief Society President and Young Women’s President among many other callings. She had a kind and generous soul and loved everyone she met.
Pam grew up in Delta and was a proud member of the “Old Delta 2nd Ward,” as she fondly called it, where she participated in youth choirs and sports teams. She graduated from Delta High School in 1961.
After high school, Pam married Edward Leo Lyman III in the Salt Lake Temple (they later divorced); and enrolled at Brigham Young University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 1966. Shortly after graduation she gave birth to the oldest of her five children and moved to California. She and Leo primarily raised their family in Riverside (then Victorville), California.
Family life was filled with hard work, sporting events, and summer trips. Pam always made time to take her children to practices and any event that was important to them. She sometimes drove hours to watch her children’s ball games, and would often pace along the sidelines because she was too nervous to sit still and watch. She was also known for her high-pitched “woohoo” that she would yell from the stands.
Work provided Pam with an eclectic and fulfilling mix of experiences. She was independent, capable, and curious in everything she pursued. She began her career as a nurse in a hospital, then switched to slower-paced jobs in the medical field; working as a school nurse and medical occupations instructor. Pam obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 1986 and used those skills to launch her own successful home-based business, “Laser Image Technology”, in which she remanufactured toner cartridges and repaired laser printers and copiers. Following her divorce in 1995, Pam sold her business and moved her family back to Utah to be closer to her adult children.
Upon returning to Utah, Pam worked as the Program Director for the Central Utah Area Health Education Center. While in this role, Pam partnered with the Utah Department of Health to bring free mobile dental clinics to families in underserved areas of rural Utah. As a result of these efforts, Pam received a national Special Community Project Award in Little Rock, AR; and was recognized by the state for her “Outstanding Contribution to Public Health in Utah”. She also wrote state and federal grants to support local community anti-drug programs.
Pam’s life was filled with a balance that worked perfectly for her. She was both a career woman and a mother. She was both a feminist and a homemaker. She was fiercely independent yet she trusted in God. She was strong-minded but open to change. Her political views were framed by both her rural upbringing and the years she spent living in Southern California. She was frugal, but also loved having the latest gadgets - as evidenced by her Apple IIe computer in the early 80s, bag mobile phone and AOL account in the early 90s, early model Toshiba laptop and CD players, and she always had the latest cell phone.
Pam’s nieces and nephews dubbed her the “fun aunt” and remember visiting her in California and taking trips to the beach, Disneyland, and riding dirtbikes. Her grandchildren remember sleepovers and special outings with her. Some of her fondest memories were of family time spent in Oak City by the creek. Even after years of dementia, she would often tell nursing home workers and residents all about her family and Oak City.
Pam faced the many trials throughout life with courage and faith. Her parents and three of her siblings died at relatively young ages, and she cared for her youngest brother during his final months. Whenever confronted with a difficult decision, she would follow a pattern of fasting, prayer, and temple attendance as she sought the will of the Lord. One of her favorite scriptures was Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Pam lived this counsel throughout her life and always ended up choosing the course of action that she felt was best for her family, even when that course required sacrifices on her part. She left a legacy of faith for her children and grandchildren.
Pam is survived by her sister, Dorothy Morrison; as well as her five children: Edward Leo Lyman IV (Vicki Eliason); Richard Edwin Lyman (Nikki Davie); John David Lyman (Jennifer Olsen); Laurel Lyman Hanks; and James Russell Lyman (Candace Copeland), 16 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother and father; her sister: Carol Ann Morrison Nielson; and brothers: Richard Steven Morrison and David Morrison.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, October 22, at 11:00 am, at the Delta 1st Ward LDS Chapel, 222 West 200 North. A Viewing will be held 9:30-10:40 am, prior to the service. Friends are also invited to view the live stream of the funeral. The link will be posted along with her obituary at www.nicklemortuary.com. Burial will be in the Delta City Cemetery.