William Byers

William Phillip 'Phil' Byers of Forest Hill, MD passed away on June 20, 2017 due to complications from lymphoma, he was 88 years old.

Mr. Byers was born on December 17, 1928 in Coalport, PA the son of the late William Gary Byers and Kathryn Bridget (Montgomery) Byers. Phil is survived by his wife of 59 years, Genevieve Dodd Byers, daughters Kathryn Byers (James Sullivan) of Pittsburgh, PA, Susan (Andrew) Kochenderfer of Havre de Grace, MD, Jennifer (William) Simone of Havre de Grace, MD and Pamela (Michael) Buhidar of Boonsboro, MD; sons John (Katherine) Byers of Columbus, GA, David (Lynn) Byers of Cheshire, CT, William (Michelle) Byers of Bel Air, MD and Michael (Janine) Byers of Gainesville, VA, daughter-in-law Lisa Foust Byers of Toledo, OH, his sister Jane Byers Gutwald, twenty-four grandchildren and one great-grandson. He was predeceased by his son James, brother Joseph and two grandchildren.

Mr. Byers graduated from St. Vincents Prep, and earned a B.A. from St. Vincents College in Latrobe, PA and a M.Ed. from University of Maryland, College Park. Phil came to Harford County in 1956 to teach at Aberdeen High School and later served as the Director of Food Services for Harford County Public Schools. He retired and spent his time traveling and visiting with his family across the US. He was an avid gardener and put many different fruits and vegetables on the tables of family and friends for years.

Mr. Byers enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean War (1951) and served on the peninsula for twelve months in an armored division and was honorably discharged (1959). He was a member of St. Ignatius Parish in Hickory and was a past member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Holy Name Society of St. Ignatius.

Contributions can be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, both causes close to the Byers family.