Ellen Kirven Lyons

 Ellen “Len” Kirven Lyons, 74, passed away February 12, 2018.  A graveside service will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, February 17 at the Clinton Cemetery in Clinton, NC.   Born July 10, 1943 in Fayetteville, NC, Len was the first child of the late Clarence Kirven, Jr. and Ellen Ramah Ross Kirven.  Len grew up in Clinton, NC and graduated from Clinton High School.  She attended St. Mary’s College and graduated from Stratford College in Danville, VA with an associate degree in fine arts.  She studied interior design at the Parsons School of Design in New York and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from NC State University, School of Design. 

Throughout her career, Len was known for her artistic talents as a graphic designer, artist, illustrator, interior designer and architectural draftsman.   As a design consultant for the NC Aquariums from 1980 to 1996, Len designed much of the artwork used in promotional publications for the NC Aquariums at Fort Fisher, Pine Knoll Shores and Roanoke Island including the aquarium logo. She received awards of excellence for her work on newsletters and catalogs, and is credited for her design work on books such as Waterfowl Heritage and others.  She founded Ellen Kirven Designs, a graphic design business, which she operated while living in Port Huron, MI and Wilmington, NC.  Her family will forever cherish her works of art, especially pen-and-ink drawings, drawn for their personal enjoyment.

Len was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents Clarence Kirven, Sr. and Martha Hand Kirven, Guy Ramah Ross and Martha Ellen McPhail Ross, and husband Gerard “Gerry” Lyons.  She is survived by her daughter Kimbra Sherratt Dillon, and husband Mark, of Clayton, NC; two brothers, Clarence Ross Kirven and wife, Linda of Clinton, NC, and Calvin McPhail Kirven, and wife, Helen of Raleigh, NC; a niece, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

The family will receive friends on Saturday prior to the service from 12:00 to 1:30 PM at the home of Ross and Linda Kirven, 201 Warsaw Rd., Clinton, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 110 W. Main St., Clinton, NC  28328.

Arrangements by Crumpler-Honeycutt Funeral Home, 118 Fayetteville St., Clinton, NC  28328.

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