Your Hometown Web Site www.thepress.net
ward Winning News al A pa
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 10, No. 50
Community mourns Lenny Byer by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer 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
LENNY BYER JAN. 5, 1933-DEC. 2, 2010 thought: I’ve got to date him,” said Joanne, a trustee of the Liberty Union High School District. The attraction was mutual and marked the beginning of a romance that spanned nearly 60 years. Lenny’s calm demeanor and easygoing 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 throughout Brentwood and Oakley as a fair, honest and even-keeled businessman. “I remember back when Lenny owned the body shop I would sometimes call on him as a claims see Byer page 26A
Goal passed by more than a whisker by Samie Hartley Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Reggie Decker
Team M’Oakley co-captain Reggie Decker poses with his son Quinten, 2, and wife Cynthia Canalita, who wore painted-on moustaches to support the Movember Foundation, at the Oakley Movember gala last Friday.
Online Now!
www.thepress.net Your Hometown Web Site
When Reggie Decker challenged his fellow City of Oakley colleagues to participate in Movember, a month-long charity effort to raise money to combat men’s cancer, he wasn’t sure what to expect – he certainly didn’t expect to raise more than $2,000. As part of Movember, men around the world are encouraged to grow out their moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues. Decker, an Oakley project manager, co-captained Team M’Oakley with Assistant Engineer Jason Kabalin, and with 13 of their M’Oakley brothers, they were able to raise $2,104 for the Movember Foun-
Glee decreed
go to news/WebExtras! An ensemble from Cornell will bring tidings of great joy to Liberty High School.
dation. “When we decided to get involved with Movember, we set a goal of $1,000. It seemed like a good target to shoot for,” Decker said. “To raise double the amount of what we hoped to collect is phenomenal. We’re so grateful for the support, but that means we’re just going to set the bar higher for next year.” Kabalin was also impressed with the achievement. His moustache was so extravagant that the community named him the People’s Choice for favorite mustache. “I decided to go beyond just a moustache,” Kabalin explained. “I wanted to embrace the ridiculous aspect of the challenge and see Whisker page 26A
Be warned
go to news/press releases Crooks are pulling a scam masquerading as advocacy for a worthy cause.
rs
Na t
pe
ion
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
Hooked on history Our History Mystery postcard documents a hyper striper from yesteryear. Page 6A
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.