Born in Mesa to John and Ileen Curnutt Hamblin, Lyle was the third of four children. He attended Mesa Public Schools, graduated from Mesa High in 1953 where he earned all-state football honors, and made many lifetime friends, including some he played cards with monthly for over 60 years. Thereafter he attended what later became ASU and graduated with a degree in dentistry from Baylor University. He practiced dentistry in Mesa for 50 years, for the first year with his father and then on his own in his office on 5th Place. In 1956 he married JoAnn Stewart, and they raised a family of four children. Through the years he was active at various times in the Mesa Jaycees, Rotary International, Little League coaching, the Mesa HoHokams service organization, and especially for over 40 years with the Boy Scouts of America and the young men programs in the Mesa 20th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where among other things he served as scoutmaster of Troop 351 for 22 years with monthly overnight camping/hiking trips and annual week long stays at Camp Geronimo and 3 day Colorado River canoe excursions from Blythe to Martinez Lake near Yuma. He was awarded the BSA Silver Beaver Award in 2001. Interests included hiking, fishing in Mexico, photography, flying gliders, cooking tamales, Arizona history, grandchildren, and ASU football. He was predeceased by his wife JoAnn in 2016, his brother Dale and sister Carol, and is survived by his brother John, his children Michael (Leesa), Diane (Tom) Koss, Susan (Mark) Hawkins, John (Arien), 14 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. Services will be at the LDS church at 848 N. Westwood in Mesa on Saturday, June 1, with visitation beginning at 9:00 AM, and services at 10:00. Burial in the City of Mesa Cemetery.
Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.
Lyle and I, along with Gordon Woods, Katie Hartman and Donna Glazier, grew up on N. McDonald Street. Donna and I moved to other locations in Mesa during our pre-teen years. We all attended Mesa Public Schools, together, from kindergarten thru high school, graduating in 1953.
Lyle was my Best Man for my first marriage in 1954. After that, we lost touch for many, many years. I attended our 40th high school reunion and to my disappointment, Lyle was not there. I looked him up and made a date for lunch at the El Charro. He invited John and Dale – we had a great visit. Since then, whenever I was in the area, we’ve had lunch, along with Fred Augustin, most recently last November after attending our 70th class reunion the night before.
I’m so sorry that we let all those years go by without communicating. I will miss Lyle, he was a great friend.
Our condolences to all of Lyle’s family.