Karen Lyons

A native of Newtown, CT, Karen Lyons grew up with a deep appreciation for history and historic preservation. She fell in love with Maine during a family camping trip, despite an unexpected encounter with an icy stream in Baxter State Park. That enjoyment lured her to attend Colby College, where she met her now husband of 51 years, Bill. They lived in Boston while Bill attended BC Law School, then moved to Bangor, where she was a stay-at-home mom and he practiced for 8 years. His desire to teach led them Lincoln, Nebraska for 35 years, where Karen completed her MA and PhD in British literature and taught as well as serving as the assistant, then associate director of the University Honors Program. As much as they enjoyed their careers, they missed New England and the ocean, so in the 90s they began looking for property, ultimately purchasing land on Wilson Point, where they subsequently built a log home. They spent summers here, then retired happily in 2016, though they miss their family—two children, four grandchildren, and three grand-dogs–who still reside in the Midwest. Karen is currently the president of the Friends of Witherle Library and the newsletter editor of the Castine Visitor.