Lionel attended Van Buren schools.

In 1951 he was enlisted in the Army and served for two years, one of which was spent in Korea.

As a young man, Lionel lived in Connecticut, where he owned his own construction company and built many homes.

He returned to Van Buren in 1969, where he continued to build homes, apartments and a motel and restaurant.

Lionel worked as a potato farmer for 14 years prior to his retirement.