Charles Allen Byrne's Obituary
Charles A. Byrne
Charles "Charlie" Byrne passed away on August 23rd after a long illness. Charles was born on February 4, 1921 in Tacoma, WA to Carl and Mayme Byrne. He attended St. Patrick Parish School and graduated from Bellarmine in 1939. In 1939 he joined the Coast Guard as a Machinist Mate. During WorldWar II he served on oil tankers in the South Pacific. After the war, he worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad and in 1948 he joined the U.S. Post Office (Tobee) from which he retired in 1976. He recently received his 60-year NALC pin. In 1946, he married Hildegarde Burich, and they celebrated 50 years together before her death in 1997. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, where he was a member of the Fourth Degree. He and Hildegarde enjoyed participating in many Knights of Columbus activities. He was a regular "cook" at Breakfasts at Saint Patrick's.
Charlie is survived by son Michael of Puyallup, granddaughter Crystal Inks (Kerry), great-grandchildren Miranda, Keira, Isabel and Scott, and his dear friend Grace Harse. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Catherine Bade, and many nieces and nephews and their families. Vigil will be held Friday, August 28th at Church of Saint Patrick, 1001 North J Street, Tacoma, at 7:00 PM. Funeral service will be on Saturday, August 29th, 2009, at 11:00 AM, also at Church of Saint Patrick. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Church of Saint Patrick or the charity of your choice.
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