Urbane Byler

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Urbane Byler, 83 of Goshen, Indiana. He died peacefully on December 9, 2022 at Goshen Hospital from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

Urbane, born on October 6, 1939, was the oldest of eight children born to the late Bennett and Lena (Hartzler) Byler.

Urbane and Janet (Smucker) married on June 27, 1962, and enjoyed 60 years together. They founded and directed Hill Street Children’s Center, in Slatington, Pennsylvania for more than 25 years.  They volunteered with Mennonite Central Committee in Honduras and Mexico and with Jubilee Partners in Comer, Georgia.  Their home was a landing place for refugees from Central America, Rwanda, Croatia and Burma, along with exchange students, family and friends, and many others who needed a place to stay.

Before his retirement and moving to Goshen, Urbane and Janet were well-known in the Lehigh Valley area (Slatington, PA) for the October pumpkin festival at Byler’s Farm.  Thousands of children and families enjoyed the educational field trips where they could squeeze milk from a real cow, gather eggs from the henhouse, slide down a haystack slide, and ride to the pumpkin patch to choose a pumpkin to take home.

Urbane was known for creative ideas, commitment to peace and justice, and a great sense of humor.  He served on the board of directors of both the Lehigh Carbon Community College and the Northern Lehigh School District. He was actively involved at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Slatington, PA, Whitehall Mennonite Church in Egypt, PA, and Benton Mennonite Church in Goshen, IN.

Survivors include his wife Janet (Smucker), four children: Kevin (Julie Howell) of Southbury, CT; Curtis (Karen) of Easton, PA; Jason (Janine) of Kalamazoo, MI; and Casandra (Tom Stinson) of Millersburg, IN along with seven grandchildren:  Zachary, Amy, Isaac, Zaquavia and Varselli Byler, Susana and Alfie Stinson;  six siblings: Jason (Tillie) of Hesston, KS; Ruby (Russel) Freed of East Lansing, MI, James (Marie) of Belleville, PA; Esther Cullen of Lyndhurst, VA; Susan (Blake) Byler Ortman of Comer, GA and sister-in-law Sherrie Byler of Goshen, IN.  He was preceded in death by brothers Jonathan (Sherrie) on October 9, 2022 and Calvin in 1952.

Following a private burial, please join the family for visitation on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 from 6 to 8 p.m. and later at a memorial service on December 31 at 4 p.m., both at Benton Mennonite Church, 15350 C.R. 44, Goshen, IN 46528.  Memorials may be directed to Mennonite Central Committee; https://mcc.org/ .

Yoder-Culp Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.