Benjamin Byland

"Ben was born on August 12, 1927 in Crowley, Louisiana to Kate Faulk Byland and Andrew Jackson Byland. He departed this world to join his Lord and Savior on Sunday, November 25, 2018, in Zachary, Louisiana. He was 91 years old.  Ben loved his Lord; he loved his wife and best friend, Anne; he loved his two sons and their families, and he loved his friends. Ben also loved his work and his hobbies of hunting, fishing, golf, jogging, walking, biking, backpacking, racing stock cars, skiing cross-country, gardening, and reading. He loved volunteering for his church, the Nature Conservancy, Habitat for Humanity, and Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Anne; his two sons and their wives, Dave and Bonnie Byland and Matt and Jan Byland; six grandchildren, Travis Byland and wife Jenna, Laurie Byland Byerly and husband Michael, Orrin Byland, Lucas Byland, Zane Byland, and Kirby Byland; three great-grandchildren, Levi and Josiah Byerly and Parker Byland. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in World War II on the USS Marias, AO57, a fleet oiler. He attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (ULL) and graduated from LSU in 1955. He worked off-shore for Humble Oil Company in 1949 as a roughneck and derrickman, transferred to Standard Oil Company of Louisiana, Baton Rouge Refinery, and retired in 1986 as a Senior Section Supervisor/Project Manager. After retiring, he worked as a consultant/project manager for Jacobs Engineering at Ciba-Geigy in St. Gabriel.  He belonged to Zachary United Methodist Church, was a 50+ year Master Mason, a member of the Fancy Point Hunting Club, and the Nature Conservancy "Chainsaw Gang." Pallbearers will be Travis Byland, Orrin Byland, Lucas Byland, Zane Byland, Michael Byerly, and Michael Alu Jr.  Honorary Pallbearers will be members of the Chainsaw Gang of the LA Nature Conservancy.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Zachary United Methodist Church, the Methodist Children's Home in Ruston, LA, or The Nature Conservancy.  Visitation will be at Zachary United Methodist Church in Zachary, LA, on Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Visitation will resume at Zachary United Methodist Church at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, Nov. 28, followed by funeral services at 10:00 AM conducted by Rev. Ricky Willis and Rev. Harold Babin.