David J. Lyons, former vice president for business and finance, has passed away

Lyons, left, at his retirement party on campus in 1995 with former Rockefeller President Torsten N. Wiesel.

David J. Lyons, former vice president for business and finance, died on February 27 at the age of 93. He joined The Rockefeller University in 1970 as director of economic planning and rose through the ranks to become vice president for business and finance.

During his tenure, he adroitly modernized the university’s finance system and ushered it into the digital age, helping lay the blueprint for its current financial and administrative systems. His talents won him a CAUSE Award for Exemplary Achievement from the Professional Association for Development, Use, and Management of Information Systems in Higher Education, and his wise counsel was relied upon by university leadership throughout the decades.

During his time at Rockefeller, he was known as a fixture of the community and a trusted friend to countless researchers across campus. In 1991, Lyons married Roberta Temes in The Rockefeller University’s very own Philosopher’s Garden. During the ceremony—and every day at work on campus—he wore a pin of the university’s crest on his suit’s lapel.

Lyons and the philanthropist David Rockefeller forged a particularly deep bond over the years. “David Rockefeller once said to me, your David is the heart and soul of the university,” recalls Temes. “He was so proud to work at Rockefeller and he wanted it to be a place where everyone felt comfortable.”

Lyons served on board of directors of the American Skin Association (ASA) for over 25 years. On his 90th birthday, the first ASA David Lyons Medical Student Grant Targeting Melanoma and Skin Cancer was awarded in his honor.

In addition to Temes, Lyons leaves behind 7 children, 14 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.