On Tuesday, October 3, 2017, around 7:00 o'clock in the morning, our world became a little less full of life, a little less full of love, and a lot more void of unique and colorful phrases - phrases which could only be attributed to the brilliant, eccentric, one-of-a-kind man, Philip Kirkland Lyon.  Philip quietly passed from this life at the age of 73, after bravely fighting a complicated, year-long battle with illness. His devoted wife of 35 years, Jayne Jack Lyon, remained by his side, taking loving, around-the-clock care of him until the very last moments of his time on Earth. 

Mr. Lyon not only joined his Heavenly Father this past Tuesday, he was also reunited with many loved ones preceding him in death, including paternal grandparents, Shelby Carter Lyon and Ora Hargis Lyon; Maternal grandparents, Franklin Campbell and Adelia Kirkland; Parents, Leroy Lyon and Maxine Campbell Lyon, all of whom were residents of Warren, AR. He also had one grandchild, Haley Meredith Thomas, who was called home before he was. His memory lives on through his loving wife, Jayne, and his children and their spouses, Brad Lyon and his wife, Karen, of Knoxville, TN; Lucinda Buford and her husband, Barry, of Dallas, TX; John Lyon and his wife, Wendy, of Little Rock, AR; Martin Lyon and his wife, Kelly, also of Little Rock; Bruce Phillips and wife, Nancy, of Brentwood, TN; Chris Phillips, of Fairview, TN; Suzette Turner and husband, Jay, of Roland, AR, and Meredith Lyon, of Little Rock, AR. More importantly to him, as his grandchildren were his reason for living, Philip's legacy will carry on through the grandchildren whom he adored:  Lee and Eva Lyon; Harrison and Anna Buford; Delaney, John Philip, and Landon Lyon; Lucy Grace Lyon; Matthew and Rachel Phillips; Drew, Mallory and Michael Turner; Haley Thomas (deceased), Hunter Sanders, and Evan Birdwell.  

Born January 19, 1944, Philip Lyon was the only child of Warren, AR natives, the late Leroy and Maxine Lyon. Growing up in small-town Arkansas, Philip was well-known for his fine mind and academic excellence. He graduated from Warren High School in 1962, after which he immediately set off to pursue his dreams of higher education.  He attended Arkansas A&M (now UAM), his freshman year, before transferring to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Always the consummate over-achiever, only five years later, in 1967, Philip graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law, with honors. While a student of law, he twice served as Editor-In-Chief of the Arkansas Law Review and, at the time, was the youngest person to achieve a Juris Doctor Degree from the U of A School of Law after World War II. After securing his license to practice, Philip moved to Little Rock, where he focused his expertise primarily in the areas of Environmental and Labor Law until the mid-1980’s.  He left his position as Managing Partner of a 65-member firm in Little Rock in 1986, becoming one of the founding members of Jack, Lyon & Jones, P.A., where he served as President for a number of years. In 1987, pursuing his life-long dream of meeting Country Music legend, George Jones (yes, you read that correctly), Philip opened an Entertainment branch of Jack, Lyon, & Jones in Nashville, TN.   In 2007, along with his son, Bruce Phillips, also an attorney, Philip co-founded the Nashville Entertainment Law Firm, Lyon & Phillips, PLLC.  Over the years, Philip Lyon established himself as a well-known and well-respected fixture in the Country Music scene, representing a multitude of famous artists, including....  You guessed it...  George Jones.  After 45 years of doing what he so passionately loved, Philip finally retired from practice in 2012. In reference to his long, successful career, he has been known to say, "I've spent countless hours in the trenches-- but, I've never worked a day in my life." 

During his esteemed career, Mr. Lyon received more accolades than a one-armed country boy could shake a stick at (He's either rolling his eyes or smirking at that one). There are just too many to list, but some of such honors have included a 35-year history of maintaining the highest possible peer rating, as evaluated and reported by Martindale Hubbell, and serving in the capacity of Chairman for the Entertainment and Sports Law Institute at the Center for American and International Law in Plano, Texas.  He also served as a Governing Council Member of the American Bar Association’s Forum Committee on the Entertainment and Sports Industries, as well as the initial Chair of the Labor and Employment Section of the Arkansas Bar Association.  In 1996, Mr. Lyon was elected a member of the Inaugural Class of Fellows at the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.  He was also listed in the inaugural edition of the Best Lawyers in America, after which he was consistently named a Mid-South Super Lawyer, in the areas of Labor/Employment Law and Entertainment/Sports Law. In 2010, Philip was also recognized by Strathmore’s Who’s Who, as an outstanding Professional in the Entertainment & Sports Industries.  In addition, he was selected as the only Global Law Expert in the areas of Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law in Arkansas and Tennessee and served on the Planning Committee for the Center for American and International Law’s (formerly The Southwest Legal Foundation) Annual Labor and Employment Law Institute for nearly 30 years.

Now, for those of us who knew Philip Lyon well, we all undoubtedly have our own set of unique, "PK Lyon" stories… ahem... for better, or for worse... Philip was a character, for certain, often leaving others not knowing quite what to expect. He could effortlessly command a courtroom and/or jury with his Southern-lawyerly wit, often confounding opposing Counsel. And he could regale an audience, whether it be comprised of friends, students, or professionals, with fascinating anecdotes composed by true-life experience. Or, when circumstances warranted, he could lend a caring, compassionate ear to a distressed friend, client, or family member, always offering sage advice to the seeker... Yes, he was an authentic, but complex man, who lived life on his own terms. He made no apologies for who he was, and he lived his life mostly without trepidation. In fact, Philip's wife and children can attest to his great sense of fearlessness; Perhaps, even with the slight remnants of PTSD. Trust me, the childhood memories of their summer trips to Ouray, CO still bring joy and warmth to their hearts... but the recollections of the simultaneously exhilerating and terrifying Jeep treks into the backcountry of the San Juan Mountains -- with Philip at the wheel-- probably still cause their pulses to quicken and palms to sweat. Talk about putting "the fear of God" into your kids. Seriously. They all still marvel at the fact they made it out alive. 

Some will remember Philip as a brilliant, but eccentric attorney, whose love for almost blindingly bright clothes and custom-made cowboy boots of every color set him apart from his colleagues. He knew how to make a lasting first impression, indeed. But, even more-so than his loud fashion choices, what made Philip Lyon most memorable to his clients was his undying devotion. Whether a seasoned, country music legend or a hopeful, unknown musician with tons of talent and potential, Philip loved and fought for each of them, equally. He genuinely cared about protecting the rights of each and every one.

Still others will remember Philip as a dedicated mentor, boss, and friend. He spent countless hours in efforts to help others realize their greatest potential, often without consideration for his own time. He was a champion for the underdog, and one of his greatest desires was to see and help others succeed... And judging by the accounts posted on social media at the news of his passing, I'd say he made a marked difference in the lives of many. He will not likely soon be forgotten by those who benefited from his selfless acts of kindness and support.

Regardless of who you are or how you knew him, if you had much contact with him, at all, your memory is likely forever imprinted with at least one "PKL signature phrase." Such PKLoquentisms include, "If I'm lying, God's a possum."  Or "If you're in such a hurry, put an egg in your shoe, and beat it." Or "Praise the Lord and pass the grits (PTLAPTG)," to name only a few. Philip definitely had his own, unique way of communicating, and I'm sure there are thousands more to be added to the list. What's for certain is, the words that tumbled out of his mouth, sometimes taking us a little by surprise, were not only strangely endearing, but also likely forever etched in our minds.

Yes, Philip Lyon will not easily be forgotten by those who knew him.  He lived a full life, even though he left us all too soon, at the young-ish age of 73. He lived with abandon, while simultaneously calculating the risks.  He lived in tireless pursuit of his dreams, never failing to achieve what he set out to do. He made an undeniable impact on the lives of most of those with whom he came in contact. He loved more than he realized he could. He was loved so much more than he could even fathom. And while those of us who loved him will always feel that somehow in his absence, there is slight sense of emptiness in our hearts, we can be assured that Philip K. Lyon, the brilliant, eccentric lawyer who once insisted upon donning "boots and suits," will always be with us in spirit. After all, his larger-than-life spirit will live on in our hearts and minds for all the rest of our days.

The life of Philip K. Lyon will be celebrated at 2:00 PM this Saturday, October 7, at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, in Little Rock, AR. Memorials may be made to Central Arkansas Hospice (Hot Springs) or Pulaski Heights Baptist Church. Please join our family in bidding him a joyful, "Until we see you again."

A special "thank you" goes out to the nurses who assisted Jayne in caring for her precious husband, in his last days. It was only with their compassionate, loving support that she was able to give him the attention he needed and deserved.