John Stevens Byerley

John Stevens Byerley age, 85 of Nueces County was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 15, 2024. He was born on August 27, 1939, to proud parents, Walter William Byerley and Jewel Mae Byerley. He was married to his loving wife, Maria R. Byerley in Corpus Christi, Texas, on April 17, 1992, together nearly 33 blessed years.

John graduated from Roy Miller High School, where he enjoyed playing on the high school football team. After graduation, he went on to complete two tours serving in the United States Army. He was a devoted Vietnam veteran who proudly served his country for four years while earning many honors including a letter of commendation from the United States President. He then returned from the miliary to attend college at the University of Tennessee. After college he worked as a city firefighter and later had a career as a chemist at Koch Refinery. John later became a home builder, property inspector, and manager for the Texas Department of Windstorm. Most recently, after retirement, John along with his beloved wife Maria, ran their own successful business, J&M Inspection, certifying residential and commercial property roofing through 2013.

John had endless talents and strengths, but his true passions were fishing and hunting. During his spare time, he enjoyed taking his boat out and returning with impressive amounts of fish. He also enjoyed tending and running his ranch lease with his wife Maria and close friends who were his family. John was a skilled craftsman known for his hand made custom rods and reels. He was a truly amazing fisherman known as, “Him,” and was even acknowledged for his tremendous talent in the Gulf Coast Connections news article published in 2004. In addition, John also hand crafted his own gunstocks and loaded his own bullets for his hunting activities. John was a jack of all trades and wore many hats during his adventurous life.

John was a devoted Christian and a longtime member of Glad Tidings and Country Tabernacle church organizations. He enjoyed volunteering during his spare time and looked forward to donating, cooking and serving his fresh caught fish at the church during their annual fish fries.

John also loved all his pets like his own children, taking such great care of them, especially his best friends, Ringo and Dillon. John was also an avid reader and always took time to study and research his interests, so that he could continue expanding his knowledge to perfect and master every skill. As John would love to say, “It ain’t luck, its skill.” John enjoyed watching old western movies because they reminded him of his rodeo days. His favorite actor was Audie Murphy, who he admired because the miliary initially denied him due to his size, but he went on to prove them wrong, as he became the most decorated servicemen of his era.

John was a loving and loyal son, brother, father, uncle, friend, and husband. You could always count on John when you needed him. He was a generous and compassionate man who would give the shirt of his back to anyone in need. He is remembered for his generosity, his wittiness, great sense of humor, his numerous talents and skills, his amazing stories, and one-of-a-kind jokes. Being around John made you feel and know you were safe, as he was always a protector over his loved ones. John lived a long, adventurous, and successful life with those near and dear to him.

John is preceded in death by his loving parents, Walter and Jewell Mae; brothers, Morris, Richard, and William; and daughter, Teresa. He is survived by his spouse, Maria R. Byerley; two children, Lonnie Byerley and Amy (Wayne) Brunkenhoefer; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; siblings, Mike (Margo) Byerley and Debbie (Lonnie) Smith; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to give a special thank you to John’s loved ones for their prayers and support as well as to Memory Gardens Funeral Home and to Pastor John Byerley (nephew) of Country Tabernacle Church for their services during this time.

Visitation for John will be held at 9 AM on Monday, December 30, 2024, at Memory Gardens Funeral Home, where a Celebration of Life will begin that same morning at 11 AM. Interment with Final Military Honors will be held at 1 PM at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery, 9974 I-37, Corpus Christi, Texas.