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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 8, No. 50
Holiday spirit lights up town by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer A bit of rain and chilly temperatures did little to dampen spirits during last weekend’s Discovery Bay Parade of Lights festivities. Sponsored by the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce, the annual event drew thousands of spectators and participants to the town’s most popular land-based event. Grand Marshal Virgil Koehne, Discovery Bay’s water and wastewater manager and former Citizen of the Year, led the eighth annual event. “The grand marshal role is the greatest honor our parade can bestow, and it’s always awarded to a Discovery Bay icon, someone who has contributed significantly to our community,” said Parade Director Amanda Dove. “Virgil is a former Citizen of the Year, is an extraordinary proponent of the Discovery Bay lifestyle and has always worked to improve our quality of life. Who is more deserving?”
Parade of Lights Grand Marshal Virgil Koehne waves to the crowd as he leads the parade through the streets of Discovery Bay.
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Community mourns Lenny Byer by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Online Now!
December 10, 2010
This Week Guidelines for gifting
Hoping to wrap up your holiday shopping swiftly and smoothly? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide. Page 1B
Seal of disapproval An aquatic interloper met a sad end when her illness was deemed incurable. Page 5A
see Parade page 12A
LENNY BYER JAN. 5, 1933-DEC. 2, 2010
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Lenny Byer never met a cause he didn’t like or an effort he could resist, and this week a grateful and appreciative community gathered to pay final respects to the man who spent a lifetime supporting the communities and residents he loved. Oakley resident, Brentwood businessman and community volunteer Byer, 77, passed away Dec. 2 following a long battle with cancer. “Lenny was just such a great man and a huge part of the community,” said Tom Williams, general manager of the Ironhouse Sanitary District, for which Byer had served as president and board trustee starting in 1970. “I learned a lot from him. I’ll miss being able to call him up and bounce things off him. We’ll all miss him; we really will.” Born in Farmington, Ark. in 1933, Byer moved to Brentwood with his parents and five siblings in 1941. He met his future wife Joanne as a student at Liberty High School, where she spotted the handsome young Lenny in P.E. class. “I thought he was kind of cute, and I thought: I’ve got to date him,” said Joanne, a trustee of the Liberty Union High School District. The attrac-
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tion was mutual and marked the beginning of a romance that spanned nearly 60 years. Lenny’s calm demeanor and easy-going nature seemed to complement Joanne’s admittedly different temperament. “He never really got angry, but I’m a little more vocal,” laughed Joanne. “But it’s hard to argue with someone who won’t argue back – that’s no fun. So our disagreements never lasted very long.” Following high school, Lenny served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant stationed in Salzburg, Austria. “If you had to serve, Salzburg wasn’t a bad place to be,” said Joanne. “It was sure better than Korea.” Upon Lenny’s return to the states, he and Joanne were married at the Brentwood Methodist Church in 1955 and settled in Oakley, where they raised their two daughters Jacquelen and Nancy. “Lenny was so good and kind to us; he spoiled me and the girls rotten,” said Joanne. “We were very lucky as a family. He was our rock.” As the successful and longtime owner of Byer Auto Body in Brentwood, Lenny was known
Glee decreed
go to news/WebExtras! An ensemble from Cornell will bring tidings of great joy to Liberty High School.
see Byer page 26A
Be warned
go to news/press releases Crooks are pulling a scam masquerading as advocacy for a worthy cause.
Taking it to the mat
Bay Valley Athletic League teams are grappling with lofty goals as the wrestling season commences. Page 21A
Plus: Calendar ............................ 19B Classifieds ......................... 12B Entertainment ................. 10B Food ...................................... 9B Health & Beauty ................ 8B Milestones ........................17A Opinion ..............................18A Sports .................................21A
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Limbs get lit
go to multimedia/videos Watch the annual switch get flipped for a city’s communal conifer.