Leonard BYRNE

1953 - 2024

Leonard Ian Byrne passed away at the age of 70, on Janurary 22, 2024, in Spokane Valley, WA, from congestive heart failure. Leonard is survived by his incredible wife of 36 years, Helen Eggleston Byrne. His only remaining close relative is his niece, Elizabeth Grace Churchill, in Portland, OR. He was preceded in death by his older sister, Grace Eleanor Byrne, and his parents, Alfred Francis Byrne and Pieternella Byrne (nee Lanting). He is also survived by the world's best mother-in-law, Pauline Eggleston, and Helen's two wonderful sisters, Susan Campbell (Terry) and Sharon Giampietri (Mike), and their children and grandchildren who happily accepted him as part of the family.

Born in Renton, WA, on April 24, 1953, Leonard spent his early years in Burien, WA and attended Junior High and Lee High School in Huntsville, AL, where his father was an engineer for Boeing working on the Saturn V and Apollo projects. Leonard earned a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Idaho, and began his engineering career in Spokane at Keytronic. He then spent many years at ISC, a company known for its bewildering array of names over its life, including ISC-Bunker Ramo and Olivetti. He concluded his engineering career after several years at Packet Engines once Alcatel acquired it and decided to close its Spokane office. At that time Leonard chose to focus on music and taking care of his parents.

Leonard was the tuba player in the Huntsville Civic Symphony his senior year in high school. At the University of Idaho he took private lessons from Robert Spevacek, the only lessons he ever had. He had no formal music education other than those lessons and his public school music education. When he unexpectedly landed an engineering job in Spokane, he then successfully auditioned for Principal Tuba with the Spokane Symphony. (Leonard literally excused himself from the middle of his final interview with Keytronic CEO Lew Zirkle in order to rush down to the symphony office to sign up for the tuba audition. Keytronic hired him anyway.) Leonard was principal Tuba with the Spokane Symphony for 48 years, from September 1975 until October 28, 2023, when it became apparent he would never again be able to perform at a professional level.

Leonard's dedication to his craft became most apparent in his final years as his health began to fail. He loved playing with the symphony so much that he devised ways to manage his limited energy in order to still be able to get on stage and play. He suspected that the life-saving experimental bone marrow transplant he endured in 1988 aged him 10 years beyond his chronological age, and contributed to his more recent heart and cancer problems.

Leonard also performed with Clarion Brass, the Royal Band of the Royal Fireworks, and the low-brass groups Octuba and SPARC (Spokane Piston And Rotary Club). Leonard was the founder of the Spokane chapter of TubaChristmas, and helped start the symphony's Soiree series. In addition to the tuba, Leonard collected and enjoyed playing other low brass instruments including euphonium, helicon, cimbasso, ophicleide, serpent, and alphorn.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, February, 17, at 2pm at Manito Presbyterian Church, 401 E. 30th, Spokane, WA. Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Symphony Endowment Fund, marked "The Leonard I. Byrne Chair."