Baker City, Oregon
Carl Edward Byron, 82, of Baker City, died of natural causes May 3, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center with his wife and daughter by his side.
His graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Monte Loyd of Baker Valley Christian Assembly will officiate. Visitations will be until 7o’clock tonight at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
Mr. Byron was born on April 24, 1919, at Akron, Colo., to Clyde and Margaret Moyer Byron. His family lived in Brush, Colo., until moving to La Grande in 1936. He enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936 and worked in the forests of Eastern Oregon until 1940. On February 3, 1940, he married Mildred Murchison in La Grande.
Mr. Byron was drafted into the U.S. Army in July 1944, fighting in battles and campaigns at Ardennes, Rhineland, and central Europe that included General Patton’s 3rd Army and at the Battle of the Bulge. He was honorably discharged in December 1945 and was awarded the infantry badge, a Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.
He drove truck for Pacific Fruit on the branch to Joseph for 20 years, interrupted only by his military service. In 1954, Mr. Byron and his family moved to Baker City. In 1962, he began driving truck for the Meadow Gold Dairies where he worked until his retirement in 1984.
Mr. Byron enjoyed hunting and camping trips with his family. Often they went to evening picnics in the mountains between Baker and La Grande. He was a 40-year member of the Baker Elks Lodge, No. 338, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a talented musician and loved country music. He could play any string instrument as well as the harmonica and accordion.
He loved his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much. They lovingly called him “Gramps.”
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Millie; his children, Norval and Margaret Byron of La Grande, Nancy Simrell and Al Polvi of Walla Walla, Wash., Larry and Pat Byron of Nampa, Idaho, and Caron and Lewie Williamson of Baker City; 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren; his sister and brother-in-law, Willadean “Billie” and Ed Sloan of Boise; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Roy Byron of La Grande.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society through Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, May 11, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor