Matthew Lyon, 45; Head of Public Affairs at UC Berkeley
Matthew Lyon, 45, an assistant vice chancellor for public affairs at UC Berkeley, died Saturday while working out at a fitness center in Seattle.
Lyon, an avid supporter of the UC Berkeley basketball team, had accompanied the players to Seattle for a game with the University of Washington.
He joined UC Berkeley in January 1999 to lead the Office of Public Affairs, which includes media and government relations.
Born in Willimantic, Conn., Lyon graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in American studies. He held a number of positions in journalism, including associate editor of the Texas Observer, and later worked as chief speechwriter and deputy press secretary to then-Texas Gov. Mark W. White. In 1987, he served as national issues director in Rep. Richard A. Gephardt’s (D-Mo.) campaign for the presidency.
With his wife, Katie Hafner, Lyon wrote a history of the Internet, “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet.”
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