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Donald Bilyeu Obituary
Born on November 27, 1932 in the Bronx, NY, he was the son of the late Harold and Elizabeth Bilyeu. He attended elementary through high school at St. Nicholas of Tolentine and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College in 1954.
He was employed by GE Ordnance in Pittsfield and participated in the Polaris through Trident missile defense programs, retiring in 1992. He also served as Lenox Town Warden and as gate attendant at Tanglewood for many years. He enjoyed movies, classical music, opera, computer animation, water color painting and gardening. He and his wife, Barbara, met by chance in a cable car in Zermatt, Switzerland in 1962 and were married September 5, 1964 in Bloomfield, CT at Sacred Heart Church.
In the 1970's and early 1980's he was a member of the Vineyard Community at the former Cranwell School and participated in William Gibson's plays, "The Body and the Wheel" and "The Butterfinger's Angel". He was a communicant of St. Ann Church in Lenox.
Besides his wife Barbara, he is survived by his children, Elizabeth (Beth) Twohy and her husband, Peter, of Cockeysville, MD, David Bilyeu and his wife, Catherine, of Lakewood, CO, and Scott Bilyeu, also of Lakewood; grandchildren Kyra and Conor Twohy, Devon and Taryn Bilyeu, and Cameron Bilyeu. He was predeceased by his sister, June Moylan.
The family thanks HospiceCare of the Berkshires and Ren e Carl for their support and care of Don.
SERVICES: Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 2 with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Ann Church at 11 AM, concelebrated by Rev. Gerald Finnegan SJ and Monsignor John Bonzagni. There will be no calling hours. All attending the funeral Mass are invited to a reception immediately following at St. Ann Family Center. Burial in St. Ann cemetery will be private.
Donations in his memory may be made to HospiceCare in The Berkshires at 877 South St #1w, Pittsfield, MA 01201.
To share memories and stories please visit rochefuneralhome.com
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Memories and Condolences
for Donald Bilyeu
Sponsored by The Berkshire Eagle.
March 6, 2017
So sorry to hear of Don's passing. My thoughts are with you.
Shari Skutnik Alderton
1 Birchwood Lane
John Dadak
March 5, 2017
Sorry for your loss. Don and I worked together at GE and shared some great moments especially in the Body and the Wheel at Cranwell. He will be missed.
Cherie "Dyer" Gimlewicz
March 4, 2017
I worked with Don at GE. What a warm, wonderful and kind man. While we all worked hard, it was people like him who made the job fun. Fly with the Angels Don. My prayers are with the family at this sad and difficult time.
Mary Denise Walton
March 1, 2017
I loved my Uncle Don. I have so many memories of him...skiing, baking bread, nights in the backyard looking at the stars in Lenox, gardening, Block Island...a gentle man, so smart, so curious, so loving...
March 1, 2017
Sorry for your loss Barbara and family. I only met Donald a few times when I was doing tree work at your house. He was a very kind man.
Chris C.
fjohn reinke (mc1968)
March 1, 2017
The Manhattan College alumni community shares the grief, and is now praying for our fellow alumni and the family at this time. The Alumni Office has been informed. As well as the Jasper Jottings community that I personally can reach. We are all a little poorer now. "No man is an island, entire of itself ... any mans death diminishes me". We are sorry for your loss.
March 1, 2017
I will miss Don very much. He was such a good friend to my mother and father, George and Virginia Finn. I baby sat for he and Barbara when the kids were young. It was always so much fun. I remember Don from the Vineyard, too. My prayers are with you, Barb and the family.
Katherine (Finn) Diaz
Lenox Police Department
March 1, 2017
Please accept our sincere condolences at the passing of Mr. Bilyeu. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all.
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