Peg Lyons Receives Unsung Heroine Award

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Peg Tiernan Lyons is a woman with a compassionate heart and a keen sense of getting to know people from all walks of life.

Last week Lyons, the head of the Winthrop Housing Authority, received a 2016 Unsung Heroine award from the State House and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo. Nominations come from legislators and from the community.

The Unsung Heroines are women who don’t always make the news, but truly make the difference. They are the women who use their time, talent and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others and make a difference in their neighborhoods, cities and towns. They are mentors, volunteers and innovators who do what needs to be done without expectations of recognition or gratitude. These women are the glue that keeps a community together and every community has them.

As director of the Winthrop Housing Authority, Lyons said the importance of locally controlled and operated affordable housing is vital for the most vulnerable citizens – the elderly, disabled, low income families and veterans.

“The property exists for the humanity of what we do,” Lyons said. “Our interactions with residents and applicants during often difficult times must be conducted with dignity and respect.”

The Winthrop Housing Authority, as well as housing authorities in each community are state agencies. But having the touch of a local resident at the helm of a local housing authority bodes well for the people who live there.

According to Barbara Bishop, an aide to DeLeo, Lyons is compassionate and kind to many people, especially during hard times.

With a big smile and warm eyes, Lyons said she handles everything from toilets to tenants rights. She has been in property management for the last 30 years. She has worked at Harvard in an administrative capacity.

“I now know that when the phone rings something is broken,” Lyons said, adding that sometimes residents will walk by, tap on her window and strike up a conversation. With 176 apartments at Golden Drive and a total of 400 units around Winthrop, Lyons is ready, willing and able to work 24/7.

“It’s about empathy and compassion,” Lyons said. “You never know who is going to need help next.”

She is a cancer survivor and her life lessons make her uniquely qualified to deal with people. She will tell you it is her team of administrative staff, and maintenance crew that make her job easy.

“The success of any agency is made possible only by the hard work and cooperative effort and ability of many,” she said.