Utah State University political science professor Dr. Michael Lyons died on Tuesday, March 31 due to complications from a recent cancer diagnosis at the age of 78. His family, friends, students, and colleagues will miss him immensely but take comfort in knowing he lived fully and on his own terms until the end.

He was born in Buffalo, New York, on July 4, 1947 and was the beloved older brother, advisor, and friend to three younger sisters: Linda, Amy, and Lois.

When Mike was a child, the family moved from Buffalo to Covina, California. Growing up in Covina, he played varsity tennis, wrote for his high school newspaper (a weekly column called “The Lyons Den”), and developed a lifelong passion for astronomy. His father, Harry, instilled in him a love of fishing. After moving to Utah as an adult, he became an avid and deeply skilled fly fisherman — a pursuit that became one of the greatest joys of his life. Mike enjoyed sharing stories of his teenage adventures with Harry — camping in Baja California and deep sea fishing off of San Clemente.

He arrived at UC Santa Barbara as a freshman in 1964. While initially majoring in physics, he found himself pulled toward the study of human behavior and politics instead, and went on to earn both his undergraduate degree and PhD in political science from UCSB.

He began his career on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., working as legislative staff for Senator Gary Hart and US House Speaker Tom Foley. Following D.C., he and his ex-wife — and lifelong friend — Jan, moved to Logan, Utah in 1978. Mike remained a political science professor there, specializing in environmental policy, the US Congress and constitutional theory, until his passing. The friendships he made in his department were a source of meaning — after retiring during Covid, he returned to teach adjunct courses for love of his colleagues and the game.

Mike was a beloved faculty member and truly gifted lecturer who inspired countless students to pursue careers in politics and public service, particularly through his signature course, a simulated Congress. His students include many of Utah’s most prominent elected and public officials. A nationally recognized expert in American government and politics, he was a trusted voice in state and local media, known for scrupulous neutrality, clarity, and humor within the classroom and on the airwaves. A fuller account of his academic legacy and impact on students can be found in USU’s tribute, linked here.

In all aspects of his life, Mike had a pragmatic and compassionate worldview, lack of judgment toward others and ability to clearly see and explain complex people and concepts in a distilled and digestible manner. He had a basic belief in the goodness of humanity and that things would work out OK, for both society at large and for the people he loved. He brought a lightness and humor to his manner even when discussing the heaviest of topics. This worldview will be sorely missed by those who sought out his advice, particularly his two beloved daughters, Carolyn and Emily.

Mike pursued his hobbies with the same passion and rigor as his professional life. He skied at Beaver Mountain, followed Aggie basketball, tended his backyard garden (most notably tomatoes), foraged for morel mushrooms in Montana, traveled widely (he especially loved Mexico and was a Rick Steves Europe disciple), and fly-fished the Blacksmith Fork and Logan River daily — literally — with hand-tied flies in the summer. While he valued fostering connection with other through all of his hobbies, it was cooking — in the kitchen and at the grill — that those around him cherished most.

Mike started cooking at a young age. He was inspired in part by his father, who developed a deep appreciation for French cuisine while stationed in France during WWII. A creative spirit, Mike used the kitchen as his outlet, inspired by his travels, chefs he admired, and his own imagination. He delighted in pointed critiques from his girls — discussing and expounding upon flavors and techniques, always in pursuit of perfection.

Mike taught his daughters the love language of cooking and food, and from early childhood until just a few weeks ago, Carolyn and Emily would call to ask him to walk them through a recipe. He never had anything written down and didn’t deal in exact measurements (neither in cooking nor life in general) — but he could break down a process and approximate ratios with total confidence. In every transcribed ML recipe which included cooking garlic, emphatic and underlined was: ‘don’t burn the garlic.’

Mike is survived by his two daughters, three sisters, and the newer additions to his family: son-in-law Denis, and his adored 18-month-old granddaughter, Margaret (Margo).

A memorial will be held at USU on Saturday, April 25 at 4pm in the Eccles Science Learning Center, with a reception at the Alumni House to follow. All who knew him are welcome to attend.

Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com.