Dear Shufei and family, 
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of this wonderful man who meant so very much to all of you.  I am sure he was an inspiration to all he met, and your lives are better having his influence and guidance throughout your lives. God  has called him home, as his work on earth is now done.  Prayers and blessings to you all as you go forward knowing that he is now at peace.

Cathy, Nancy and Mary so sorry to hear about the passing of Roy.  Have many fond memories of when you lived across the road from our farm and all the good Y&S licorice he would bring us.   
Karen (schaefer)

I met Byron in 1990 at SIU Carbondale. It was the first time I met him and Cathy, and the first thing he did was take all of us flying. He did not ease you in. He opened the door and brought you up with him.
An Air Force man, a Korea veteran, an engineer, a pilot. Three years ago he went to Washington DC with the Honor Flight and came home lit up. He did not care where you came from. I came from Taiwan. He never once made me feel like I was from anywhere but his family.
One Scotch a day. He kept that rule and he made it to ninety. I am not going to argue with the results.
Rich looked up to his dad. I heard it in every weekly phone call. Byron was the one Rich called. When we lost Rich, it broke his heart.
Byron was the one who asked if I would have enough money to raise five children alone. He asked more than once. I always told him not to worry. He never stopped checking.
My five children loved him. My parents in Taiwan could not speak enough English to talk with my kids the way they wanted to. Byron could, and he did, for their whole lives.
Ten days before he passed, I gave him a massage. He loved it because it brought the circulation back to his heart. Three days before he passed, he had already had one from a massage therapist. He looked at me anyway and said he had been waiting for me. He was funny right to the end. That was the last thing he ever said to me.
My oldest daughter and I held his hand and told him we loved him until he was gone.
Rich had wanted his ashes in the Mississippi. I buried him at Rock Island National Cemetery instead, and I carried that decision alone. But Rock Island is an island. The Mississippi still surrounds him. Byron thanked me many times and told me it was the best thing I ever did. I needed to hear that more than he knew.
Now Byron will rest near Rich. In time, Cathy will be there, and so will I. All of us together, for good.
Thank you, Byron, sincerely and deeply.

Shufei Kime
Daughter-In-Law

I think my favorite memory with my grandpa will always be from when Vanessa and I were visiting him in Florida. Grandpa was outside, just like he always was, looking up at the stars. After a while, he came inside and told us to come take a look through his telescope.

I’ll never forget the way his face lit up as he watched me looking through it. Seeing the stars and the beauty of the night sky was incredible, but what has stayed with me the most is the joy on his face as he shared something he loved so much. That moment will always be one of my greatest memories with him, and one I’ll cherish forever.   

Another one of my favorite memories with Grandpa will always be standing outside his house and spotting a bird or some other animal I had never seen before. I never had to wonder what it was for long because all I had to do was ask Grandpa, and he could always tell me exactly what it was.

He had such an incredible knowledge of nature, and I loved listening to him share it with me. Looking back now, I realize those little moments meant so much more than I knew at the time. Every time I see an unfamiliar bird, I’ll think of him and wish I could ask, “Grandpa, what kind of bird is that?” Those are memories I’ll carry with me forever.

OBITUARY

Byron LeRoy Kime Jr.

June 11, 1936 – July 16, 2026

The Runge Mortuary & Crematory

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