Patrick Byrne

Funeral services for Pat Byrne, 80, of Ekalaka, will take place at 11:00 a. m. , Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Ekalaka with LeRoy Schallenberger officiating. Burial will take place at Beaverlodge Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Pat passed away Friday, July 17, 2015 at Dahl Memorial Nursing Home in Ekalaka. He had spent the last few years of his life fighting a blood disorder, while keeping the staff at the nursing home on their toes, he had his prayers answered and passed peacefully while sleeping to go and be with his loved ones who had gone before. Patrick Robert Byrne was born on July, 29, 1934 in Selby, SD to Robert (Bob) and Ruth (Dearborn) Byrne. He attended country school through 8th grade. His parents took him to Timber Lake at the start of High School but after they dropped him off he would leave and go work with a local livestock dealer which probably prepared him for his life better than school. Pat’s passion was always livestock and rodeo and in 1954 he met the daughter of a local stock contractor, Nelda Bachman. Fate took over and they were married on November 11, 1954. They raised a son and daughter while working on various ranches in S. D. until 1961 when they bought the Riley ranch south of Mill Iron, MT in partnership with Pat’s brother Jim. They bought out Jim in 1974 and proceeded to expand into outfitting and then into producing rodeos, besides raising cattle. They put on a unique snubbed bronc riding match at the ranch for a few years that was featured in the Western Horseman magazine. Pat and Nelda established Byrne Rodeo in 1972 and produced rodeos in the four state area until selling out in 1985, after the Ekalaka Centennial. During this time their stock won many regional as well as national awards. They continued to ranch until 1999 when they sold the ranch to their son and his wife. That is when Pat, being the people person he was, took his knowledge of stock and became a successful sheep order buyer. After Nelda’s death in 2004, Pat continued to nurture strong ties with her family over the years that followed. Pat especially enjoyed watching his children grow up competing in rodeo and was always ready to encourage or assist others to enjoy the sport. One of his favorite pastimes was to get together with friends and play poker or pinochle where he earned the nick name “Noisey”. Pat is survived by his son, Jamie (Juanita) Byrne; daughter, Monie (Larry) Byrne, Charlotte, NC; four granddaughters, Mindy (Greg) Yates of Ekalaka, Kristi (Kyle) Sander of Rapid City, SD, Shantil Byrne and Shamra Byrne both of Charlotte, NC; five great grandchildren, Adlen, Amelia, Ayla, Wayne and Sasha; two brothers, Larry (Barb) Byrne of Sundance, WY, Tom (Aileen) Byrne of Pine Haven, WY; one sister, Kathy (Gilbert) Wood of Newell, SD; sister-in-law, Betty Jane Byrne of Devils Tower, WY; the entire extended Bachman family and numerous nieces and nephews. Pat was preceded in death by his parents, the love of his life, wife Nelda; a sister, Ramona; and brother, Jim. Memorial contributions to be given to Ekalaka Swimming Pool Fund and/or the Ekalaka Ambulance Service.


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Burial Date: July 22, 2015
Church Stevenson Funeral Home

Funeral service: Wednesday, Stevenson Funeral Home, Ekalaka