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Duffy Lyon

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Artist

The Resume

    (July 29, 1929-June 26, 2011)
    Born in Nashville, Tennessee
    Birth name was Norma Duffield Stong
    Niece of Phil Stong, author of the novel 'State Fair,' which inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical
    Dairy farmer and sculptor
    Official butter cow sculptor of the Iowa State Fair (1960-2006)
    In addition to cows, made butter sculptures of Elvis Presley, John Wayne, Garth Brooks, Tiger Woods, Grant Wood's 'American Gothic' and the Last Supper

Why she might be annoying:

    She had to work in a refrigerated room to create her sculptures.
    A temperature fluctuation at the fair's agriculture building caused the belly of one of her cows to fall off (2000).
    She would use the same butter for several years worth of sculptures.
    She originally wanted to sculpt Elvis in white tallow, but the beef officials at the fair refused to cooperate.

Why she might not be annoying:

    While studying animal husbandry at Iowa State, she won a campus snow sculpture contest, prompting her to take classes in sculpting.
    She was married to Joe Lyon for 60 years until her death.
    Commentators compared the lines to see her butter sculptures at state fairs to viewings of the Pieta at the Vatican or the crown jewels in London.
    She was so famous in Iowa that Barack Obama sought her endorsement; Politico credited her radio ad with helping him win the state caucus (2008).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 105 Votes: 55.24% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 38.46% Annoying