Our much loved father passed peacefully at age 95, in Brookings, with family by his side.Dad was born in Weed to Rufus and Lola Wilson. He and his younger sister, Joanne, grew up in the Weed, Red Bluff and Yreka area before moving to Crescent City in their teens. Dad was an outstanding student-athlete at Del Norte High. For his senior year, he returned to Weed to play football, coached by his favorite uncle, Morton Kaer. Dad served in the US Navy and upon his return attended Humboldt State. He briefly taught high school chemistry at Fortuna High before pursuing a degree in pharmacy at UC San Francisco. He began his career as a pharmacist at Endert’s Drug Store in Crescent City. Not long after, Dad and his business partner, Dave Clark, opened Pacific Drug Store, which was a thriving business for over 30 years.Both as a businessman and a member of numerous organizations, Dad was always active in his community. He was a long time Commissioner for the Crescent City Harbor District as well as a Board Member of the Del Norte County Health Care District. He was an active member of the Rotary Club and Elks Lodge.Our Dad enjoyed many life-long interests and hobbies including hunting, fishing and gardening. He took great pride in his abundant tomato crop, to the point where his family couldn’t keep up with the quantity! His curiosity for learning new things led him to other hobbies, such as beekeeping, cattle ranching, woodworking and portrait painting. He really enjoyed refurbishing an old fishing boat with his friends and christening it the CRJ after their wives. Byron was a good friend to many and, if you were his friend, you were a friend for life. Over the years he and his hunting and fishing buddies had many great stories to tell.Dad was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Janis Tryon Wilson, our mother. He is survived by his 5 children: Susan Taylor and husband, Rich; George Wilson and wife, Marilee; Elizabeth Deschuytter and husband, Bernie; Mary Schroeder and husband, Scott; and Nancy Wilson. He is also survived by his 10 grandchildren: Lauren, Katherine, Kristen, Byron, Annie, Emma, Ben, Lucy, Erin and David; and his 16 great-grandchildren: Weconah, Jessie, Wah-Kell, Alyse, Izaac, Taylor, Colt, Lily, Nolan, Ella, Koree, Brandon, Preston, Adelynn, Norah and Owen. He is also survived by his wife of 21 years, Roberta Hadley Wilson and her son, Shane Theurkauf.We have many treasured memories of our time with him. Dad was just like a kid on Christmas Eve, barely able to contain his excitement to tear into the presents under the tree. There are ice cream tales aplenty; he’d say “just a scoop” but we knew not to put the container away. And vacations with family and friends always had to include a water destination for either camping, houseboating or, of course, a little fishing.Our Dad, Byron, a quiet and humble man, will be remembered with love. To plant a tree in memory of A Tribute as a living tribute, please visit Tribute Store. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });