Bill Lyons – 7/4/09
Owner of Casa Rio
Bill grew up in San Antonio, like his father, both grandfathers and both great grandfather’s before him. From them he inherited a deep devotion to his city. He graduated from Alamo Heights High School and The University of Texas at Austin. From there he served his country as a Lt. in the US Army before returning home to work for his father in the food brokerage business at the Bill Lyons Company.
After selling that company, he began his career in the restaurant business which was started in 1946 by his grandfather, Al Beyer, who had opened the first restaurant on the San Antonio River. This restaurant is known to all San Antonians as Casa Rio and in the early days included paddle boats and dinner barges on the river.
William Lyons has strong passions. One of these passions is for his family, both present and past. He likes to tell the story of his great-grandfather, William Lyons, who was wounded by an arrow as a scout for Kit Carson in Arizona and then brought to San Antonio by wagon to recuperate and ended up marrying his German nurse. This ancestor went on to become the first elected city Marshall of San Antonio and served as commissioner of cotton.
Bill is a very devoted husband and father, proud to be married to his lovely wife, Tina. Between them they share five wonderful children, the youngest of whom is in her second year at UT Austin. Bill says he was the oldest living member of the high school PTO.
He is also passionate about his faith and his church. He serves as an elder of the First Presbyterian Church. He regularly attends the early morning men’s Bible study and he serves on the Foundation Board. In the past he has participated in a missionary trip to Mexico.
In addition, Bill has a deep love for the South Texas brush country and the white tailed deer that roam it as well as the Indians, who roamed it before the white man. Perhaps that arrow in his great-grandfather had something to do with that love as he still spends time searching for arrowheads.
And lastly, Bill shares a great passion and vision for the protection, promotion and preservation of the San Antonio River. He is a tremendous Stewart of our river. This devotion to the River is second only to his love of the South Texas brush country. He served as president of the Paseo del Rio Association from 2000 to 2002.
Currently he stays active with downtown issues and serves on several committees and boards concerning the downtown and the River Walk. He and his family still operate Casa Rio, Schlilo’s, and other riverfront properties that were purchased by his father and grandfather.
Hosts,
Bjorn Dybdahl of Bjorn's
John Thurman of Heart of Texas Realty
Scott Woolfolk of Documation
Sponsors
