Byron DeHaan

A first-generation American, he was born July 18, 1926, in LaGrange, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his mother (Sophia) and father (Conrad) along with his sister (Marilyn Orloff). He married the love of his life, Sylvia Williams Hogan in 1963. She died October 11, 2008, in Peoria.

He is survived by sons, William (Suzanne) of St. Charles, IL, and Robert (Cheryl) of Herndon, VA; daughters, Dr. Kathleen DeHaan, of Charleston, SC, and Nancy DeHaan, of Peoria; grandchildren, Lisa, Peter, Anna, Tessa, Robert, Henry, and Sylvia; and six great-grandchildren.

Volunteering in the U.S. Navy at age 17, he served 1944-46, and 1950-51, retiring as Operations Officer (and temporary Executive Officer) of U.S.S. PCEC 873, with the rank of LTJG.

He was a graduate of the University of Kansas (B.S. Industrial Management). At K.U. he was named a member of honorary fraternity Omicron Delta Kappa.

He worked at Caterpillar 1948-91 (less time for recall to sea duty) last serving as its Director of Public Affairs. A founder of the company’s historical archives, he authored Caterpillar’s first book length history “50 Years on Tracks” (1954), and its first Code of Worldwide Business Conduct (1974).

During 1991-2008, he earned over 200 semester hours credit at Bradley University and Illinois Central College. He acquired skills in ceramics and oil painting. In 2000, he was named an Honorary Bradley Alumnus. He won poetry competitions at both schools. In 2004, Converse Marketing, Inc. published a collection of 32 of his poems under the title “Breviary”. The collection was a finalist in the 2005 Pulitzer competition.

In 2008, he was commissioned by the Peoria Civic Center to commemorate its new Preston Jackson sculpture about the underground railroad (for fleeing slaves) in Peoria. The resulting poem “Hallowed Ground” appears on the wall of the Jefferson Street entrance.

Byron sang in Peoria’s Orpheus Club in the early 1950’s and in the Bradley Community Chorus 1991-2008. In 1998, Bradley named him an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity.

Accompanying himself on his guitar, he sang German carols at Pettengill-Morron House Christmas Candlelight events for 20 years. He was an occasional performer at local retirement and nursing homes. He co-chaired the founding board of the Peoria Civic Opera Company in 1977.

A golf enthusiast, he won the Caterpillar A Flight tournament in 1960. He was a member of Peoria Country Club for over 50 years.

Byron was a former president of Peoria Toastmasters Club. He served on boards of Goodwill Industries, Peoria and Illinois State chambers of commerce, Hult Health Education Center, Peoria Historical Society, and Lakeview Museum.

He was a founding member of the Pillars Society of the Heart off Illinois United Way. He was a leader in the successful 1952 Peoria referendum to adopt the council-management of government.

He was an early advocate for the community college concept for the Peoria area; he co-chaired the speaker’s bureau leading to the successful 1966 referendum establishing Illinois Central College.

In 2000, Byron became co-chair of the Museum Collaboration Group and played a leadership role in concepting and locating the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

Involved in civil rights matters, he was vice-chair of the Peoria Commission on Human Relations in the mid-1960’s. In 1967, Governor Otto Kerner appointed him chairman of the Illinois Commission on Human Rights, then the state’s principal civil rights agency. In 1969, Governor Richard Ogilvie named him to a second two-year term.

At his retirement from Caterpillar, Illinois House of Representatives Resolution No. 751 commended on his “contribution to community and state”.

In July 2016, he was honored as one of six Peoria-area “legends” by Central Illinois Business Publications. He was a long-term Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a long-standing member of the Governing Board of Forest Park Foundation.

Visitation will be held at Lutheran Hillside Village Waters of Life Chapel, Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 10:30-11:30AM, with services to follow at 11:30AM. Lunch will follow in the Schwindenhammer Family Community Room.

Cremation rites have been accorded. Memorials may be made to the Peoria Riverfront Museum or to the Byron & Sylvia DeHaan Scholarship Fund at Bradley University. Words of comfort may be shared at www.Davison-Fulton.com.