Martin "Marty" Byrne

RICHFORD, VT / OLMSTEDVILLE, NY - Martin Henry Byrne Marty , 87, died peacefully on Aug 13, 2015, at Our Lady of the Meadows in Richford, Vermont with his family by his side.

Born April 20, 1928, in Glens Falls, NY he was the son of the late Martin J. and Grace (Tougas) Byrne.

Marty grew up in the Glens Falls/Queensbury, NY area and loved nothing more than spending time outdoors, especially hunting and fishing on Glen Lake. Martin joined the Army Air Core when he was just 17 years old and completed his basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi. He continued on to serve in Australia and in the South Pacific, always reflecting on his years of service with pride and honor. He truly loved his country.

Upon returning from the service, he went to work for Niagara Mohawk Power and Light in Glens Falls. He worked as a Lineman/Line Foreman until his retirement in 1985. Marty was also an avid Scuba Diver and one of the first to lay power lines on the floor of Lake George.

Marty married Norma Marie (West) Byrne in 1950 and settled in the Glens Falls / South Glens Falls area where they raised their children. His hunting and fishing passions continued on through retirement at his home in Olmstedville, NY: deer hunting in the fall with his son and grandsons, snowmobiling in the winter with friends, and trout fishing in the spring and early summer - he lived for the outdoors. Winters in FL with his daughter and family were also very special.

He so loved the Adirondack Mountains and spent many hours around the wood stove with family and friends, sharing stories and a beer (had to be Budweiser). This was his forever home. He also was a member of Safari Club International (recognized for several International Exotic Animal Records), a proud member of the NRA as well as the American Legion and VFW.

Marty loved spending time with his many friends and second family at Sportys Iron Duke Saloon in Minerva, NY. (A special thank you to David and Donna Beale and Penny Mitchell for their many years of friendship and love and to all his friends in the North Country). He was a proud member of Sportys Rifle Team and also participated in many local charities and community events.

Martin is predeceased by his parents and his wife, Norma (West) Byrne; 4 sisters: Shirley Byrne, Grace Betty Betts, Anna McKinney, and Helen McHugh.

He is survived by 3 Children and 6 Grandchildren; Jeffrey Michael Byrne and wife Leslie, and two grandsons Alex and Connor Byrne, of Georgia VT. He is also survived by his daughter Sue Ann Millar (Byrne) and her husband Thomas, and two grandchildren Nicole (Millar) Lesko and Matthew Millar of FL. and Timothy Byrne, wife Sue, and grandchildren Aislinn and Devlin of Derby Line, VT, as well as several nieces and nephews.

A special thanks to the entire staff of Our Lady of the Meadows Assisted Living Home in Richford, VT for the true comfort, care, and kindness given to Marty. Thank you also to the dedicated Hospice caregivers.

There will be a short service at Sportys at noon on August 16, 2015 with a luncheon to follow. The family has requested that donations be made to the American Legion (post of your choice) or your local VFW in Martin Byrnes name.

A graveside service will be held at St. Marys cemetery in South Glens Falls on Monday, August 17, 2015 at 1:00 PM. All friends and family are welcome to attend.