Marcia Stutzman Byers

Dec. 23, 1943 — Nov. 1, 2016

Marcia Stutzman Byers passed away Tuesday at home with loved ones at her side.

She was born to Daniel and Rachel Stutzman on Dec. 23, 1943, in the "old library" hospital in Lebanon.

Marcia lived a large life, one full of service and adventure. After graduating from Western Mennonite High School and nurses training at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland she spent three years in service as an RN at the Mennonite Hospital in Aibonito, Puerto Rico.

After her service in Puerto Rico she traveled and volunteered many places in the world including Tanzania, Kenya, Central and South America often performing medical service in short term make-shift clinics.

Wherever she traveled she had a treasury of interesting and descriptive photographs. Many times her travel companion was her dear friend and fellow RN, Ruby Newcomer of Ohio.

More locally, she worked at Lebanon Community Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis as well as owning and managing Willamette Manor Assisted Living Center in Lebanon for a number of years. She served on the Lebanon Hospital board for some time. After retiring she was the camp nurse for many summers.

In 1982 she met the love of her life, landscaper Rodney L. Byers at a fishing retreat at Drift Creek Camp in the Oregon Coast Range. They married Sept. 21, 1985, at Lebanon Mennonite Church. They lived on Post Street in Lebanon before moving to Keizer. They retired to a little farm on Lucky Way near Lebanon. Most recently Rodney and Marcia lived at Ashwood Court and Quail Run at the Mennonite Village, then Holly's Haven in Lebanon.

As a young child, Marcia attended Price School. She rode her big green girl's bike the two miles to school on the gravel roads. In the summer she was a "farm hand," sewing and throwing 100-pound burlap bags of annual ryegrass, stacking them five high. During those farming years she drove tractor and combine, milked cows and bucked hay bales. After retirement both Marcia and Rodney worked for Whims Watercolor Quilts, owned by her sister-in-law for a number of years. She very much enjoyed joining her friends at her nursing school 50th class reunion last summer.

Marcia accepted Christ at age 9. All throughout her life she remained faithful to God and to the Mennonite Church.

Marcia was a valued member of both the Stutzman and Byers families, always interested in the happenings of everyone's life. She loved and kept track of her nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews just as if they were her own grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Rodney; sister Erna King (Don) of Albany; brothers Jerry Stutzman (Sharon) of Salem and Ellis Stutzman(Susan)of Spicer; Miriam Schlabach (Dennis) of Lebanon; and many nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home. A public memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at Lebanon Mennonite Church. All are welcome.

Memorial gifts may be made to either Drift Creek Camp or Maranatha Ministries (a Mexican outreach begun by Rodney's brother and sister-in-law) and sent to PO Box 2422, Lebanon, OR 97355 or left at the church.

The family wants to thank so many people for their prayers and support during these difficult months. A special thanks to Pastor Brent Kauffman and the staff at Quail Run and Holly's Haven.