Central Pa. family honors woman killed by husband through helping other domestic violence victims

“This will be our third year as Team Sue,” said Beth Karmazin, sister of Sue Lyons Grundon, who was killed by her husband James Grundon in 2018.

Ever since then, the family has been walking in Randi’s Race, a 5 kilometer run/walk to benefit Randi’s House of Angels, which helps children affected by domestic violence. The race and charity were spawned by Nancy Chavez to honor her daughter who was killed in a 2003 incident of domestic violence.

The Lyons family of Loysville will again be participating in Randi’s Race, which will be May 8 with participants walking and running both virtually and in-person. They are holding a fundraising event April 17 to benefit the charity at their farm at 322 Couchtown Road. They will be doing food sales, as well as selling T-shirts and sweatshirts.

The Lyons family said they can’t really escape what happened to Sue, but they can help other victims.

“You don’t get over it,” said Kay Lyons, Sue’s mother.

They’ve turned their grief at Sue’s murder into action to help other families. In the first year they walked as a team. The Lyons family had more than 80 people on their team, and were top fundraisers for the next two years.

“We wanted to do something in Sue’s memory and this will help children who’ve suffered in domestic violence,” said Diane McMillen, Sue’s other sister. In the past, the race held at Adams-Ricci Community Park in Enola has raised $50,000, the Lyons said. However, 2020′s virtual race was less successful due to the impact COVID-19 had. That’s why they’re asking people to help them even more this year.

The Lyons family said they continue to help with Randi’s Race because it’s an excellent way to remember Sue, who loved children, cats and enjoyed helping others. It’s a way to keep her memory alive.

“She was always there for people in need,” McMillen said.

The family misses Sue’s sense of humor, they said. It’s one of the unique things they think of to remember her, how she made others laugh. And how she doted on her nieces and nephews.

“She was the fun aunt. She allowed soda at breakfast time,” McMillen joked.

The Lyons family will hold their bake sale fundraiser starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 17 at their farm.

The 17th annual Randi’s Race to benefit Randi’s House of Angels will take place on Saturday, May 8. For more information about the event please see the event page online.

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