Burrell “Bill” Clarence Byford, 88, of Wrangell, passed away on April 29, 2026, at his home. He passed peacefully in his favorite chair.
Bill was born Oct. 14, 1937, in Oak Harbor, Washington, to Virgil N. Byford and Henrietta N. Hawkins. He spent most of his youth living in Lewiston, Idaho.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1955 and received an honorable discharge in 1961. During his time in the Navy, he served aboard the USS Hancock.
After leaving the Navy, he moved to Alaska. He worked for a time at the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, but spent most of his career as a commercial gillnet fisherman, fishing out of Wrangell and Ketchikan.
In September 1970, he married Margaret “Peggy” Byford (Raymond) and, after a brief time living in Spokane, Washington, moved to Alaska and raised two children, William and Shawn. The family also fostered several other children, including Gina, Thomas, Jeanette, Wilfred and Jimmy.
He loved meeting and talking with people. His ability to make friends surrounded him with many, many good people, his family wrote. “He always had time to tell a yarn and to say hello. He always felt ‘fine as frog’s hair,’ and when you heard him exclaim ‘holy buckets!’ you knew something had amazed him.”
He was a man on the go and constantly kept himself busy working on projects like his cabin at Thoms Place and in his workshop behind his house. He loved to travel and connect with unique places and people.
Bill was preceded in death by parents, Virgil Byford and Henrietta Byford (Hawkins); wife Peggy; sister Betty Lou; and brothers Mark and Ted.
He is survived by his children William (Caroline) and Shawn (Brenda); grandchildren Bronwen, Caleb and Mariah; brother Richard; and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his former wife and friend Maria.
A potluck-style celebration of life will be held at the Shoemaker Bay shelter on July 18 from 3 to 6 p.m. People can bring a dish to share.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society at donate.cancer.org.
