Byron Edmonds died Wednesday October 3 at the age of 77.
A private internment service was held on Monday, October 8th at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Gresham, Ore. A public memorial service will be held on Friday, October 12th at 2pm at Sandy Funeral Home, 39551 Pleasant Street, Sandy, OR 97055.
Byron Carroll Edmonds was born on July 1st, 1935 in Doniphan, Missouri to Robert Byron Edmonds and Ava Jane Severs. At the age of 7, the family of 3 moved to Boring, Oregon where Byron resided for the rest of his life.
During his school years, he played the trombone, was on the debate team, and was a very active member of the FFA, where he served as president for 2 years before graduating from Sandy Union High School in 1954. He also attended Oregon State University where he studied Agri-business.
Alongside him was his high school sweetheart, JoAnne Drew, whom he married on May 28th, 1954. The couple enjoyed league bowling at Eastmont Lanes in Gresham, were members of the Gresham Breakfast Lions Club, and enjoyed time at their Boring home which Byron and his father built together.
His passion for agriculture led him and his father to start Edmonds Farms, where they grew potatoes, raspberries, thornless blackberries and nursery stock in Clackamas County, The father and son team built their own homes side by side and developed a mobile-home park in Boring, Ore. Upon taking on the lead role at Edmonds Farms, Byron’s ambition and innovative ideas inspired him to acquire a 1,800 acre wheat ranch near Bigg’s Junction, Ore. which he farmed with the help of his three sons.
Throughout his early farming years he was actively involved in the agricultural community and served as chairman of the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District. He also led an organized effort to improve wholesale berry prices for local farmers and helped to establish the Oregon Red Raspberry Grower’s Association for which he served as president.
He enjoyed watching almost every kind of sports, was an avid Studebaker collector and was well-known for his love of mechanics as the owner and operator of Automan in Estacada.
He absolutely loved the changing seasons: planting, growing, harvesting and hunting! He was an avid Oregon big game enthusiast and never missed an opportunity to hunt Rocky Mountain Elk with his life long buddies and family in Oregon’s Blue Mountains.
Byron is survived by his wife of 58 years, JoAnne Edmonds, six children: Byron David Edmonds of Gresham; Linda Mae Bacon of Sandy; Robert Lee Edmonds of Boring; Teri Jo Clark of Sandy; Michael Todd Edmonds of Yelm, WA; and Jan Marie White of Sandy; 24 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren.