William "Bill" Byrnes
William “Bill” J. Byrnes, 89, of Waukon, passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at Good Samaritan Society in Waukon surrounded by family. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 4 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial with military honors will be at St. Mary’s Hanover Cemetery in rural Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 10 a.m. until time of services at the church Wednesday. Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.
William John Byrnes was born July 8, 1933, the eldest child to his parents, Francis and Patricia (Blake) Byrnes. Bill graduated from St. Patrick High School in 1951 and served in the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sergeant repairing air crafts from 1953-1957. After the Air Force, Bill attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering, graduating in 1960. He came back to Waukon and started and formed Byrnes Radio and TV. December 1, 1962, he married Frances L. Peterson Kelly.
Bill had many varied interests: being one of the first members of the Waukon Flying Club, hobby racing - Car 22, Jaycees, Knights of Columbus, VFW, planting and creating a tree farm, marching as part of the Allamakee Veteran’s Drill Team, and presenting flowers in October to families as part of the Respect Life Program. He also enjoyed grilling (and his famous barbecue sauce), fishing, dancing, and playing cards.
Survivors include his wife, Franny, of Waukon; his daughters: Annette (Tom) Haas of Iowa City, Jenette (Keith) Schulte of Dorchester and Dawn (Don) Blocker of Waukon; his grandchildren: Brooke Haas (Ryan Teague), Beth (Tom) Rotter, Matthew (Jillian) Haas, Allisson Kouba, Ashley Kozfkay, Erin (Jordan) Rixen, Adam Schulte and Evan (Dani) Schulte; 14 great-grandchildren; his sisters and brothers: Frank (Mary) Byrnes, Charlie (Ann) Byrnes and Jean Ann (Don) Wiedner; and many nieces and nephews.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mary Lou Poli; his brothers-in-law: Armand Poli, Leo Peterson, Irvin Tiescotter, Jake Dillman and Bob Hanson; and his sisters-in-law: Marjorie Tiescotter, Eunice Dillman, Della Peterson and Arlene Hanson.
Honorary casketbearers are the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. Casketbearers are his sons-in-law, Tom Haas, Keith Schulte and Don Blocker, and his grandsons, Matthew Haas, Adam Schulte and Evan Schulte.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
