Submitted Photo Outdoor decorations done by the late Lloyd Lyson at his home in northwest Minot are remembered. Photo courtesy of Rob Kondos.

The late Lloyd Lyson was probably best known in the Minot community for his animated and lighted decorations decking his home on 18th Street Northwest during the Christmas season.

Recently, those who remember his outdoor decorations from years ago have shared photos of the decorations on social media.

Lyson won the Minot Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee’s Christmas decorating contest numerous times. For example, in 1983, his Christmas display was judged the best lighting display in the northwest section of the city and he received one of four plaques presented by the committee for residential Christmas lighting, The Minot Daily News reported in its Dec. 23, 1983, edition.

A trophy, presented for the first time in 1984, to the contest’s overall winners, was named in his honor, according to a story in the Aug. 17, 1985, edition of The Minot Daily News.

As early as the late 1970s, Lyson was the first-place winner of the first recognition awards for home Christmas lighting presented by the Chamber’s safety, fire prevention and beautification committee in 1979.

Even as early as 1964, he was winning Christmas lighting contests. He was the winner of the Minot Junior Chamber of Commerce Christmas lighting contest in 1964 and received a $100 savings bond.

One year when the newspaper featured a photo of Lyson’s outdoor decorations it was noted his display was complete with music. Music played inside the Lyson home was piped outside and a figure at an organ moved back and forth.

Lyson became a resident of Minot in the 1940s after serving in the military in World War II. He retired from the Minot Post Office in 1972. He was a woodworker, musician and also had a love for growing roses. He died in August 2004.