James "Jim" Byrne

James "Jim" Byrne, 67 years Aug. 6, 1943 - Oct. 21, 2010 Eagle River, Alaska, passed away at home in his sleep October 21, 2010, following a courageous two-year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), compli-cated by seven years of Parkinson's Disease. Before his passing, Jim and his three brothers from Maine, Oregon, and California enjoyed very memorable fun visits in Jim's home, joined by Jim's dearest friends. At death Jim was as he lived: a true follower of his Catholic faith-kind, selfless, generous, witty, loyal, a treasured brother, devoted father, and genuine friend. Jim was born in Oakland, attended St. Leander Catholic School, Bishop O'Dowd High School and St. Mary's College of California before joining the Army Special Forces (Green Berets) in 1966. After extensive training, Jim went to Vietnam as a medic on an "A" team. In two tours of duty Jim received an Army Commend-ation Medal, a Bronze Star for Valor and two Purple Hearts among other medals and awards. Jim came home, completed his B.A. in Business in 1972, and in 1974 moved to Alaska, where his son Brent was born and raised. Jim worked as a medic on the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline construc-tion project and continued to work for Alyeska for almost 30 years, retiring in 2002. Between 2002 and 2004, Jim spent much time in California, devoting himself with loving gentleness to his parents' comfort and care. He moved from Anchorage to Eagle River in 2008 to be closer to his son and family. Jim is survived by his son Brent Byrne; daughter-in-law Aubrey; two grandchildren, Akela and Blaze; brothers Tom and wife, Judy (Modesto), and Kevin (Orland, Maine) and Robert Denis (Portland, Oregon); also by loving nephews and niece, and very dear cousins. Jim is survived especially by his committed, loving, and sustaining companion, Mardie Prentke, and by his devoted lifelong friends Rick Smith (Fairbanks, Alaska), David Galindo (Oakland), and a very special friend, Genevieve Ogroskin (Santa Rosa), formerly Sister Marietta, O.P., his St. Leander 8th-grade teacher-principal. Jim leaves others who were important to him, including John T. Williams (Marietta, Oklahoma). Jim was pre-ceded in death by his cherished parents, Mary Patricia Byrne in 2003, and Thomas Paul Byrne in 2004. Jim's best friend Rick Smith said: "Jim was not a couch potato, he loved the outdoors and was always on the go. He had a great sense of humor and could even laugh at his own eccentric-ities. I can't count the times I heard people say, "He's the nicest guy I ever met." He was always willing to help in any way he could. I'll think of Jim and miss him every day that I have left. He was the nicest guy I ever knew." A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Friday, November 19, 2010, at St. Leander Catholic Church, 550 W. Estudillo Avenue, San Leandro, California. After Mass, there will be a reception in the parish rectory. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated October 29, 2010 at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Eagle River, Alaska, attended by Jim's entire family along with his devoted companion and by many of his loving friends. A military funeral with inurnment will be held at a later date at Fort Richardson National Cemetery in Anchorage.