William M. "Bill" Byham

William M. "Bill" Byham, 79, of Lake City, died at his home, surrounded by his family on Friday July 30, 2010 following an extended illness. Bill was born June 30, 1931 in Kane, Pa., a son of the late George H. Byham, Sr., and Bess Mitchell Byham.

He graduated from Girard's Rice Avenue Union High School in 1950. Following high school he was inducted into the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Upon his discharge from the military he returned to the Lake City area where his love for farming grew steadfastly. He began farming concord grape vineyards and apple orchards on the three family farms including the 1882 Kibler-Byham Century Farm located at his current residence. His two passions in life encompassed his family and his love for the land. Bill was a member of the Lake City Presbyterian Church, where he was an Elder and Member of the Board of Session. He was a Girard School Board Member from 1975 to 1982, also a member of the Board of Directors to the Erie County VO Tech School. He coached Little League FLAG Baseball and he was an avid Green Bay Packers fan.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by three sons, Stephen and David Byham in 1966 and Eric Byham in 1978; also by a sister, Betty Burns and two brothers, Robert L. Byham and George H. Byham Jr. He will be sadly missed by his family which includes his wife, Josephine Kibler Byham, whom he married May 28, 1955 at the Lake City Presbyterian Church; also by three daughters, Susan J. Byham-Laskowski of Greensburg, Brenda L. Byham of Lake City, Laura D. Byham-Gray and her husband Steven of Allentown, N.J.; three sons, William M. "Bill" Byham Jr. and his wife Tammy of Lake City, Theodore G. "Ted" Byham and his wife Trina of Lake City, Mark T. Byham of Lake City; thirteen grandchildren, Katherine, Robert, Jennifer and Michael Laskowski, Erin and Jillian Gray, Brittany, Samantha, Willow, Courtney, Cassidy, Blake and Carly Byham; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Friends may call on Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Daniel R. Edder Funeral Home, 309 Main St. East, Girard. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday at the Lake City Presbyterian Church at 2 p.m. with Rev. Charles McClung officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at Girard Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Lake City Presbyterian Church, PO Box 210, Lake City, PA, 16423 or to the Asera Care Hospice, 1600 Peninsula Dr., Erie, PA, 16505.

The Byham family would like to express their deep gratitude to Erie Home Health and Asera Care Hospice for their compassionate care of Bill and the Byham family, during his illness.

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