Loren Deyoung Bykerk

Loren DeYoung Bykerk passed away Wednesday, January 21, 2026, peacefully at his home in Walker, a small forest community just south of Prescott, AZ at the age of 85.

Loren was born in Tucson, AZ in 1940, the first child of John E. Bykerk and Lorrene A. Pritchett Bykerk. Loren graduated from Catalina H.S. in 1958 and shortly thereafter began his career with Mountain Bell Telephone. He retired in 1986 and pursued private business, laundry/drycleaning, for the next 18 years retiring in 2005.

Loren married Elizabeth C. “Betsy” Nelson in June 1962 at Catalina Methodist Church in Tucson. They were married 63 years, seven months. Loren and Betsy raised a family of two son and a daughter living in the Verde Valley, Prescott, Williams, Glendale-Phoenix finally settling in Walker, AZ, in 2005.

Loren’s retirement has focused on non-profit Firewise USA forest safety and history preservation of this historic Arizona mining community. Walker Community Action Alliance, INC 501 (C) 3.

Loren is survived by his wife Betsy, sons Ronald (Sharon), Kenneth, and LoriBeth Smith (Kenneth). Granddaughters Amber Clark (Brandon), Lacey Parker (Eric), Alyssa Labron (Bruce), Amanda Munion (Hyde), Caroline Kaseburg (Larry Willis) and Annaston. Great-grandchildren Jenna, Bryce, Ellie, Presley, Jessie, Easton, Eric and Larrea. In addition his brother Robert Bykerk (Rhonda) and sister Sharon Lopeman.

A celebration of life will be announced in the next few weeks.