William Lloyd Byers

William Lloyd Byers, age 84, of Gold Canyon, Arizona passed away peacefully on June 9, 2025.He was born in Bakersfield, CA on April 21, 1941, to Eleanore (Gierke) Byers and Francis H. Byers. He had one younger brother, Dwight.

Bill grew up in the high desert of Antelope Valley, California and graduated from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California in 1959. He attended Valparaiso University in Indiana.

Bill was married to Nadine (Russell) for 23 years, 1961 - 1984. They had 3 children: Nancy, Diana, & Tim.

Bill started to attend St. Marks Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO and it was there he met Carol Olstad. He and Carol were married in September 1986, at St. Marks in Aurora. In 1993, together they constructed a new home in the country near Elizabeth, CO and resided there for 28 years. In 2021, they sold their Colorado home and purchased a home and moved to Mountainbrook Village in Gold Canyon, Arizona.

Bill worked for various retail firms in California, Nevada, Oregon and in Colorado as a Purchasing Manager for Pay & Pak. He spent the last 15 years of his career as a Purchasing & Maintenance Manager with South Metro Fire Rescue in Colorado. After retirement in 2006, he enjoyed managing and maintaining his 3 office buildings in downtown Parker, CO.

As a lifelong railroad enthusiast (a train nut), Bill had a thorough understanding and appreciation for the history of railroading in the Western U.S. Bill was involved in the formation of the Pueblo Railway Museum in 2001, and was an active volunteer working on many restoration projects and acting as conductor when passenger trains were operated at the museum.

Bill joined a newly formed HO model railroad club in Parker in 1991, The Denver & New Orleans Railroad Club, and was active as a member and director for over 25 years. He was involved in the purchase and move of the big yellow Rio Grande caboose, which stood in downtown Parker for a number of years. He was also a member of the Gilbert Model Train Club in Gilbert, AZ. In the Mountainbrook Village neighborhood in Arizona, where they lived, Bill was known as " The Train Guy" with the model train layout he designed and built which was suspended from the ceiling in his garage.

Bill and Carol were members of Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church in Parker. Bill served on the church council and he enjoyed doing volunteer work on the construction of the new church building.

Bill leaves behind: Carol, his wife of 38 - 1/2 years. Children: Nancy (Dave) Blegen, Elizabeth, CO, Diana (Dan) Garlow, Elizabeth, CO, Tim (Diane) Byers, Broomfield, CO. Grandchildren: Karen, Kathy, Amanda, Christina, Clint, Kennedy, Derrik, and Kylie. 20 great-grandchildren, Brother: Dwight (Sharon) Byers of Maricopa, AZ, Sisters-in-Law: Audrey Herrington, Lincoln, NE and Elaine Hakanson, Mesa, AZ, 10 nieces & nephews, and many other cherished relatives and friends. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Eleanore & Francis Byers, half-brother, Robert Byers and daughter-in-law Krista Byers.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 1114, Parker, CO 80134.