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Richard Lynn Byers died in Albuquerque on 28 February 2004. He was 65 years old. Direct Cremation has taken place. A memorial service is planned for 13 March 2004 at 11:00 a.m. at Fuller Lodge, Los Alamos, NM, with Father Colin Kelly officiating. All friends are invited. Lynn was born on 2 August 1938 in Hagerstown, MD. He grew up in Columbia, PA, where he graduated high school. There, he met his wife, Joyce Ann Ralston. After graduating from West Chester State Teachers College, Lynn held various teaching jobs until he went to work as a newspaper copy editor. He came to work for the Albuquerque Journal in 1970. He later worked for the Cancer Research and Treatment Center and the Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute before moving to Los Alamos to work as a technical editor and writer for the Laboratory in 1984. Lynn was a wordsmith - a genius with a red pen, and great writer in his own right. He won an Albuquerque Press Association award for his series on cancer, written for the Albuquerque Journal. At the Laboratory, Lynn was selected as the editor to accompany teams to Washington, D.C., Interlaken, Switzerland, and the Hague. Lynn was very proud of his job with the Lab, and received many commendations and awards for his outstanding achievements and dedication. While feeling pride in his accomplishments as an editor, Lynn was, first and foremost, a teacher. An avid reader, he amassed a great wealth of knowledge that he gladly shared with all who asked. Yet, Lynn taught his children more through his actions than through his words, and the lessons were about life, rather than academia. He taught lessons about quiet kindness and charity. Lynn did his alms in secret. Many is the time his children accompanied him to a charity of one kind or another to drop off the family's donations, and rarely did the recipient know his benefactor. Lynn taught his family humor, even in the face of adversity. On his last day on this earth, he could be heard joking with his nurses through his oxygen mask. He taught laughter, and making the best of a bad situation. Yet, the greatest lesson he taught was caring. When Joyce suffered her stroke, Lynn redefined the term "care giver." He loved his wife and his children dearly, and always gave them the security of knowing he would be there when the chips were down. He was a man worthy of emulation. Lynn was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce and a grandson, Paul Douglas Steinbach. He is survived by his daughter, Peggy Lynn Lewis, and husband, Boyad, of Albuquerque; his daughter, Valerie Diane Byers, of Albuquerque; and his son, Matthew Todd Byers, and wife, Lori, of Carlsbad. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, Danielle Monique Isler, Adam Wayne Isler, and Eric Anthony Isler, all of Albuquerque; Tifani Marie Ryan and husband Patrick of Lakewood, CO; Amanda Michelle Byers, Amber Aline Weyerman, Helen Lyndsey Weyerman, David Curtis Weyerman, Saren Grace Weyerman, and Loren Noel Weyerman, all of Carlsbad; and three great grandchildren, Patrick James Douglas, Zachary Joseph and Taylour Mae Ryan. The family requests that those who wish to give flowers use that money to give to Dad's "critters" through such organizations as the National Wildlife Federation, World Wildlife Fund, or a local animal shelter. French Mortuary 1111 University Blvd. NE 843-6333
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