Phillip L. Byers

Phillip “Dadster” Lee Byers passed away in his home on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024 in Shannon, Illinois at the age of 70 years. Born to Mary Alice Byers and Emerson Lee Byers in Freeport, IL on November 1st, 1954, Phil was raised in Shannon as the middle of three children with older brother Eddie and younger sister, Nancy Lynne.

Phil had a boisterous and adventurous childhood in Shannon. He spoke fondly of working at his dad’s farm implement shop, W.G. Byers & Sons and earning his Eagle Scout Badge as a teenager. Phil graduated from Shannon High School in 1972, where he was known for his musical aptitude, playing the clarinet, oboe, baritone, piano, guitar and drums. He later graduated from Western Illinois University where he majored in Mass Communications with broadcasting emphasis, minored in Music, and met his future wife of 47 years, Linda. His career began in radio where he read and produced the news at various radio stations in Illinois and Florida. Phil held many jobs throughout the years, and was never too proud to take an available job when times were tough.

Phil had a mind for mechanics and a love for fast cars. He loved to brag about his first car, a ‘72 Plymouth GTX, and he spent many hours tinkering with his 1966 Plymouth Belvedere in the driveway as his kids watched on. More recently, his toys were a BMW motorcycle and Dodge SRT4. He enjoyed teaching each of his children how to drive a bit too early, and had even begun sharing his love of fast things with his grandkids.

Phil’s mechanical intuition allowed him to settle into a long career in manufacturing, where he became an expert at CNC programming and finished his career as an engineer, working with CNC lathes. Phil was proud of the work he did, and was excited to share what he learned on the job with the whole family. He would never pass up an opportunity to show you the “cool new part” he made.

While many in Phil’s life knew him as boundlessly hardworking, logical, and analytical, his family will remember his creativity, making up bedtime stories on the fly, the occasional goofiness with bouts of giggles, and yes- his insatiable drive to provide for his family. Phillip loved each of his dogs dearly (except Cleo), and spoiled them with table scraps too often. Around town, Phil was recognized as the man with a hundred hats, dog’s leash in one hand, and Linda’s hand in the other.

Phil was deeply loved by his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mary Alice Byers and Emerson Lee Byers, and his brother, Edward Eugene Byers. He leaves behind his wife Linda Katharine Byers, his three children, daughter Ashley Elizabeth (Gregory) Deal, son Aaron Emerson (Jessica Brunner) Byers, and son MacKenzie Lee (Samantha Kane) Byers, four grandchildren, Braden James Deal, Lorelei Katherine Deal, Annabel Elizabeth Deal, and Marley Jo Byers, his sister, Nancy Lynne Kniss, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.