Janson Media mourns the passing of Jim Lyle, a good friend for many years and a member, in recent years, of the Janson Media Consultancy. We will all miss Jim’s sense of humor and his witty emails. I will miss tapping Jim’s huge “rolodex” of industry movers and shakers, and his vast knowledge of industry trends and happenings. I’ll miss our occasional lunches at places like the Bryant Park Grill or Virgil’s Barbecue in Manhattan, and our lunches and dinners in Cannes down through the years.
Jim, the aisles and hallways of the Palais des Festivals and the streets of Cannes in April and October will not be the same without you.
- Stephen Janson
The following obituary is reprinted in its entirety from the Wilton Bulletin.
James Lyle, television consultant
Tuesday, 26 January 2010 13:16
James Jeffrey Lyle, a 16-year resident of Wilton, died unexpectedly on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Norwalk Hospital from an apparent heart attack. He was 59.
Born in Cleveland on Feb. 2, 1950, he was the son of the late James A. and Eleanor (Crane) Lyle. He graduated in 1968 from Orange High School in Pepper Pike, Ohio. He received his bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from the University of Miami in Florida. While in college, he assisted with a live children’s TV program, which sparked his interest in television programming.
Mr. Lyle began his career with Ev Clay Associates in Miami, managing public relations. He married Susan Piper in 1976. The marriage ended in divorce several years later. He moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1982, where he worked in distance learning publishing. In 1985, he worked with CBS Publishing in New York City. He started his consulting firm, Video Publishing Resources, based in New York City, shortly thereafter.
In 1990, Mr. Lyle married Lorna Gillis of New Canaan, at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, N.Y. They lived in Bronxville, N.Y., until moving to Wilton in 1994. Their daughter, Amelia Marie, was born in 1996.
As a consultant, Mr. Lyle worked for a wide array of clients, including the Annenberg Foundation, BBC Television, National Public Television’s programming at WGBH-TV in Boston, National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, and others. He specialized in arranging production and distribution agreements. He was a regular delegate at the MIP and MIPCOM markets in Cannes, France, as well as the VSDA (Video Software Dealers Association) meetings and NATPE (National Association of Television Programming Executives) conventions.
He served as chairman of the board of the Lanly Company, an industrial oven manufacturer in Euclid, Ohio. Lanly was founded by his father in 1938. He succeeded his father and mother as chairman in 1995.
After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Lyle felt compelled to contribute to public service. Through the Wilton Congregational Church, he became very active with Habitat for Humanity, most recently serving as a director on the board of the Coastal Fairfield County chapter. His efforts with the Coastal Fairfield County chapter and the Sound Coalition resulted in new homes for more than a dozen families. He was an infectiously enthusiastic group leader, encouraging “The Wilton Swarm,” a small army of volunteers from the Wilton High School’s Habitat for Humanity Club and the Wilton Congregational Church.
Mr. Lyle was widely known for his sense of humor, his energetic, outgoing nature, and his genuine caring for others. He loved to spend his free time keeping on top of news, business, and science current events. He enjoyed biking, fitness, kayaking, travel, and spending time with his family. His numerous friends, colleagues and acquaintances will truly miss him.
Mr. Lyle is survived by his wife and daughter. He leaves behind three sisters: Nancy Smith and her husband Robert Smith of Bryn Mawr, Penn.; Beth Lyle-Durham and her husband James Durham of Chevy Chase, Md.; and Judy Reinhard and her husband Fred Reinhard of Charleston, S.C.; as well as many nieces and nephews and five grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Contributions in his memory would be appreciated and may be made to: Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County, 1542 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 11, at the Wilton Congregational Church, 70 Ridgefield Road, followed by a reception hosted by the Board of Deacons with assistance from the Wilton Garden Club.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Just “discovered” this sad news. I was a fraturnity brother with Jim at the “U,” and we shared many happy times together. He was one of a kind!
Distance of time and place generally cure what they seem to aggravate; and taking leave of our friends resembles taking leave of the world, of which it has been said, that it is not death, but dying, which is terrible. ~Henry Fielding.
All of us in Miami were enriched by your love of life and humor. So sad to hear you are gone, but equally happy to see you found the love and happiness you deserved with Lorna and Amelia.
Thank you for your beautiful remembrance of Jim. I hope Lorna and Amelia will see it.
Goodbye Uncle Jim. We will all miss you, and my heart aches for you daily. I wish you culd come back and make things right again. The family is a puzzle, and we are missing a peice.
I just found out Jim had passed away – cannot believe it. The Firm I worked for in Edinburgh helped him in a couple of debt recovery actions a few years ago and we used to send the odd funny email to each other over the years. Jim, you and your family are in my thoughts.