Elwood “E.J.” Byram, age 96, of Union City, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at The Village Green Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Greenville, Ohio.
E.J. was born July 31, 1930, in Greenville, Ohio, the son of the late Roy Franklin Byram and Treva Norrine (Puterbaugh) Byram. He was a 1948 graduate of Greenville High School.
Following high school, E.J. served his country in the United States Air Force. He served in military intelligence and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. His military service took him overseas to England and to other locations in Europe and North Africa, including Germany, France, Spain, and Algeria. During those years, E.J. and his family lived in Virginia and Texas. He was honorably discharged in 1955 at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. E.J. remained particularly proud of his military service throughout his life.
After returning home, E.J. began a 30-year career with FRAM Corporation, where he worked until his retirement. He was a member of the American Legion and Greenville Masonic Lodge 143. He also served as a commissioner of the Woodington Congregational Christian Church.
E.J. enjoyed a life firmly rooted in family, home, and community. He enjoyed golfing and competed in local league tournaments, and he was an avid fisherman. He also took great pleasure in woodworking, maintaining a shop where he made things by hand, often as gifts for family and friends.
E.J. had a quiet nature and was more interested in other people than in talking about himself. He had a good sense of humor and a dry wit that remained with him throughout his long life. He took pride in his service, his work, his home, and, above all, the people around him.
In addition to his parents, E.J. was preceded in death by his first wife, Carolyn “Gladys” (Tester) Byram; his second wife, Jean (Barnum) Byram; his brothers, Robert and Dwight Byram; and his stepson-in-law, David Townsend.
He is survived by his son, Daniel Byram; his stepchildren, Lyle (Ruth) Barnum, Linda (Nick) Palmer and Marcia Townsend; his granddaughters, Kelly Byram and Stacy (Jacob) Chapman; his great-grandchildren, Hudson and Ellie Chapman and Jake Byram; and his step-grandchildren, Matt Townsend, Mason (Andrea) Townsend, Megan Henry, Carrie (Chris) Clark, Emily Barnum, Tiffany (Josh) Thompson, and Michelle Clark.
E.J. lived a long and full life, shaped by service to his country, devotion to his family, a strong connection to his home and community, and the interests he enjoyed throughout his life. He will be remembered by those who knew him for his independence, his humor, his generosity, and the many things he quietly did for others.
A graveside service will be held at Greenville Union Cemetery at 11 AM on Thursday, August 27, 2026, with full military honors.
Condolences may be left for the Byram family by visiting www.zecharbailey.com
