J. Donald "Don" Byers Sr.

HIGH POINT — J. Donald "Don" Byers, Sr., 85, was ushered into the presence of God at his home at River Landing at Sandy Ridge, High Point, NC, on December 5, 2008. He moved with his wife to River Landing from Whittier, California in July of 2005, to be closer to his son's family.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. in the MPR room at River Landing on Tuesday, December 16. A second service will be held at Calvary Baptist Church of Whittier, California, on January 3, 2009, his home church of 47 years.

He was born in Los Angeles, California on December 30, 1922. His family soon moved to Huntington Park, California, where he spent most of his young life. In 1944 he married Ruthanna Wilson, the youngest of ten children, herself a transplant from St. Joseph, Missouri, coming to California at the beginning of her senior year in high school.

He held a number of jobs in his early years, eventually becoming a truck driver for Kraft Foods, then a salesman, where he spent the bulk of his career. Passionate about his work, he was still winning sales awards when he retired. He loved to travel, stream fish, and had an artistic flair, clearly seen in the landscaping around his home. And he loved his harmonica, playing it often for the folks at River Landing. A committed Christian, he participated in numerous roles in his local church over many years and especially loved welcoming people as an usher.

He dearly loved his family and is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ruthanna Wilson Byers, son, Dr. J Donald Byers, Jr. and wife, Cynthia, three grandchildren, Tracy Wertz and husband, Jeff, of Goshen, Indiana, Kerry Giles and husband, Bill, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, David Byers and wife, Rachel, of Cologne, Germany, and six great grandchildren: Nathanael Wertz, Philip Wertz, Kathryn Wertz, Molly Giles, Joseph Giles, and Sofia Byers.

The family is extremely grateful for the compassionate care of the staff at River Landing, whose loving attention made him as comfortable as possible in his remaining days.

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