Dale William Byrer died at 8:20 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, in his home at Hoffman  Lake.

Byrer, the only son of Homer Byrer and Mildred (Creighton) Byrer, was born on the family farm between Etna Green and Atwood Sept. 17, 1924. He was a graduate of Atwood High School.

Byrer entered active service as a military policeman with United States Army on May 17, 1945, and served during World War II. PFC Dale W. Byrer was honorably discharged from Camp Atterbury on June 3, 1946.

On July 11, 1943, Byrer was married to the love of his life, Ruth A. McColley in Leesburg on her parent’s farm. Together they would share more than 74 years and would raise three daughters whom Dale loved dearly.

Byrer lived his entire life in the Atwood area and was proud to be a farmer. He spent 47 years working his dairy farm, growing grain to feed the cows and tending to more than 16,000 laying hens.  He had also worked as an electrician before retiring.

For fun, he enjoyed fishing and especially loved reeling in bass and bluegill. On the family farm they had a pond which he retained fishing rights to even after selling the property. He was also happy angling on Hoffman Lake and on Florida’s Lake Tarpon where he and Ruth wintered for 17 years. A man of great faith in the Lord Jesus, Byrer was a longtime member of Atwood’s Otterbein United Methodist Church and had served on the Church’s board of Trustees for many years. He was a member of American Legion Post 49, Warsaw and served on the original board of the local Soil and Water Conservation District. He recently participated in an Honor Flight to Washington, DC.

Byrer loved the Lord and loved his family. A list of survivors includes his devoted wife, Ruth McColley Byrer, Hoffman Lake; three daughters: Carolyn (and Richard) Ringeisen, Seneca, S.C.; Jeannette (and Richard) Findley, Solomons, Md.; and Myra (and Steve) Alexander, Milford; five grandchildren: Heather Ray of South Carolina; Bradley New-Ringeisen of Virginia; Matthew Findley of Colorado; William Findley of Virginia; and Amber Thomas of Milford; and two step-grandchildren: Matt Alexander of Ohio; and Janelle Swihart of Florida. He is also the proud great-grandfather of nine.

Those who preceded Byrer in passing include his parents, Homer and Mildred and sister, Marjorie Hollar.

A memorial service is being planned for Saturday, Jan. 20, for which another obituary will be placed on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

The family has asked that gift’s in Dale’s memory be designated to Atwood Otterbein United Methodist Church trustees, 306 East Main Street, Atwood, IN 46502 or to Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice, PO Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581. 

The staff of Titus Funeral Home considers it a privilege to care for the family and friends of Dale William Byrer.