Richard Byron

Richard M. Byron, age 87 of Waseca, died on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the Janesville Nursing Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, April 26th at 1:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca with Fr. Martin Schaefer, Celebrant. Interment will be in the St. Mary Cemetery, Waseca County.  Visitation will be held on Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. at McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Waseca, and will continue on Tuesday morning for one hour prior to services, at church. There will be a 7:30 p.m. parish prayer service on Monday evening, at the funeral home.    Richard Martin was born on November 6, 1923 in Waseca, Minnesota to Robert E. and Margaret B. (Burns) Byron. Dick graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army from November 6, 1945 until his honorable discharge on October 14, 1946.    Dick married Julianne Chicos on December 29, 1949 at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Owatonna. They raised their family on a grain and dairy farm in Wilton Township, Waseca County. In 1997 they left the farm and moved into Waseca. Dick was member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca, and a 3rd degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council # 2768. They had formerly belonged to St. Mary Catholic Church in St. Mary Township until its closing. Over the years he had also been a member of the Waseca American Legion Post #228, and the Sweet-Sommers V.F.W. Post #1642. He was also an active member of the Irish American Club of Southern Minnesota, and was involved in Waseca County DFL efforts.  Dick enjoyed reading, pheasant hunting walks through the grain fields with his Burns' cousins, and especially loved fishing the Waterville Area Lakes with his children.  He is survived by his children, Margaret (Justin) Carr of Queensland, Australia, Patrick (Rosy) Byron of Austin, Timothy (Eloise) Byron of Helena, MT, Anne (Gary) Eustice of Hibbing, Richard (Mary) Byron of Belgrade, MT, Eugene (Eve) Byron of Helena, MT, Mary Bridget (Dan) Bell of Minneapolis, John (Jacquelin) Byron of Alvin, TX, and Erin Byron of Waseca; by 14 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; by his brother Robert (Jeanette) Byron of Waseca, and his sisters Margaret Haggerty of Seattle, WA and Bonnie (George) Griffiths of Edina. He was preceded in death by his parents; by his wife Julianne Byron on September 1, 2010 and his son William in 1991; by his brothers Eugene and John; by his brother-in-law Joseph Haggerty. Casketbearers are Dick's children.