The funeral for Kenneth J. Byer will be at 11am Saturday, November 11 th , 2017 at Pax Christi Church in Rochester with Father Will Thompson officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Rochester. Visitation will be held from 5pm to 7pm on Friday November 10 th, 2017 at the River Park Chapel, Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at Pax Christi on Saturday.

Mr. Byer, 87, from Rochester, died Saturday November 4 th , 2017 at his residence.

Ken was born March 3, 1930 in Watertown, South Dakota to Alex and Anna Byer. He received his early education in Florence, South Dakota then join the United States Navy in 1950. He was honorable discharged on July 1 st , 1954. On May 11 th , 1957, he married Donna Lue Curley in Henry, South Dakota. In May of 2017 they celebrated their 60 th wedding anniversary.

Ken worked 33 years for IBM Corporation and upon retiring in 1990 he was an Advisory Engineer. During his time with IBM they had lived in New York, Boston, Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota.

Ken loved spending time with his grandchildren, woodworking, and camping. He was an active member of the American Legion Post 92 for many years. He was also a member of the VFW 1215, Voiture 327, and Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include wife Donna (Curley) Byer; (2) daughters, Kathleen Melloon and Vickie (Terry) Carter; (3) sons, Daniel (Kathy) Byer, Mark (Karen) Byer and Gregory (Jill) Byer; and son-in-Law, Edward Brereton; 22 grandkids and 27 great-grandkids; (1) sister, Magdalene Cordell; (1) brother, Emery (Mary) Byer and (1) sister-in-Law, Margery (Herman) Byer. He is proceeded in death by his parents Alexander and Anna Byer; (5) brothers, Ralph, Sylvester, Raymond, Herman, and Arnold Byer; (3) sisters, Virginia (Byer), Margaret (Kranz) Byer, and Edna (Byer) Cordell; a daughter, Susan (Ed) Brereton; a grandson, Kristof Zweifel and a great-granddaughter, Kylie Ryann Byer.