Ethel (Grant) Lyman

Ethel Lyman, age 89, of Wilmington, passed away on September 21, 2022.

Ethel was the beloved wife of Donald O. Lyman, Sr., devoted mother of Donald O. Lyman, Jr. of Stoneham, daughter of the late Josephine “Dickie” (Gesimondo) and Joseph Costa and the late Miller Grant, dear sister of Charlotte Costa of Medford, Louis Costa and his late wife Sue of Sarasota, Florida, and the late Joseph “Richie” Costa and his wife Marie.  Ethel is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, in-laws, and cousins. 

Ethel graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in Boston in 1951. After high school she attended Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School in Boston. Upon graduating from Katharine Gibbs, she worked as a secretary at Lincoln Labs in Lexington, Massachusetts. 

Ethel married Donald Lyman on August 15, 1954. The couple moved out of state when Donald re-enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1956. Ethel and Donald moved to Wilmington in 1971, and Donald retired from the Marine Corps shortly thereafter.  

Ethel resumed her secretarial career in the 1980s, working at the Tufts University School of Engineering for several years.

She went back to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard University Extension School on June 11, 1987. 

In her earlier years Ethel enjoyed gardening, swimming, dancing, travel, and spending summer vacations at her brother Louie’s lakeside cottage in New Hampshire. She also enjoyed cooking, and was a wonderful cook, especially with regard to Italian food. 

Ethel was much loved by her family and will be greatly missed.  

Family and friends will gather for Visitation at the Nichols Funeral Home, Inc., 187 Middlesex Ave., (Rte. 62), Wilmington, on Friday, September 30th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Memorial donations in Ethel’s name may be made to the Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901.