Richard Eugene Lyons was born June 19, 1920 at Detroit, Michigan, the son of Frank C. and Daisy (Sweeny) Lyons. After graduating from high school he attended the University of Dayton for two years. He then went to Miami University at Oxford, Ohio where he earned a B.A. degree in 1942. After several years working in Dayton and recovering from tuberculosis, he returned in 1946 to Miami University to work on a master's degree, which he received in 1947. Mr. Lyons then became an English instructor there for a year. In 1948 he went to Indiana University to begin work on a Ph.D. degree. After two years Mr. Lyons in 1950 came to the North Dakota Agricultural College where he held a dual position as order librarian and instructor in English. His early work was connected with the North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies where he researched for a proposed anthology of North Dakota writers. In 1959 Mr. Lyons returned full time to the English Department, and that same year took a sabbatical leave to attend the University of Minnesota where he completed his course work towards a degree in American Studies. Mr. Lyons returned to North Dakota State University where he is now professor of English.

Mr. Lyons was interested in poetry from a very early age, and at Miami University was a member of the Poet's Circle. Numerous poems by Mr. Lyons have been published, including in The New Yorker, The Virginia Quarterly Review and The Paris Review. His first major work was Men and Tin Kettles (1956). Other publications include One Squeakinq Straw (1958), Paintings in Taxicabs (a study of art consumers in North Dakota, 1965), Above Time (1968), editor of Poetry North: Five Poets of North Dakota (1970), a one-act play, "John, Where Are You?, and the three part series, Poetry and Photographs: A way into the Meaning of Space, Resources, and Life Styles in North Dakota (1976). In addition Mr. Lyons has done work in painting, drawing, and printmaking.
 
In 1942 Mr. Lyons married Marjorie Dunkel and had two children, Christopher and Cressida. Mr. Lyons is a member of the College English Association, American Studies Association, the Rourke Art Gallery, and Phi Kappa Phi. 
 

Richard Lyons Papers  |  Literary, Music and Theater