William E. "Buck" Byham, 88, of South Williamsport, passed away Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at Valley View Nursing Center.

Born December 12, 1928, in Kane, he was a son of the late Carl and Hazel Miller Byham.

Buck married the former Nellie Swartz and together they shared 63 years of marriage.

Buck graduated from Kane High School in 1946 and the former Bloomsburg State Teachers College in 1953. He was a teacher at Dowingtown Sr. High School from 1953 to 1959 and South Williamsport High School from 1960 to 1983. After he finished his teaching career, Buck served as the Sports Information Director at Lycoming College from 1984 to 1991.
Buck’s life was filled with many sports achievement and honors. Before attending college, he spent a year as a pitcher in minor-league baseball.  While teaching at Downington and South Williamsport, Buck coached basketball, football and Baseball teams. He also was assistant coach for the Williamsport Millionaires baseball team. Buck spent countless years as a volunteer pitching coach to hundreds of athletes in and around Lycoming County including Little League, high school and college level players.

Buck had his own daily radio program called the "Sports Digest" at the former WMPT Radio station. He covered local school age sporting events and highlighted individual standouts. His broadcasting also covered local high school and college sporting events as well as the Little League World Series for WWPA radio station.
In honor of his many years of involvement with sports, Buck was inducted in the West Branch Chapter Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, the Bloomsburg University Sports Hall of Fame in 1994, and the Lycoming College Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Buck was also honored with W. Howard Huntman Little League Baseball Friendship Award in 1993, the Dale V. Brown Service Award from Lycoming College in 2011, and was honored with a plaque on the Williamsport Sports Walk in 2016. Because of his many years of broadcasting Little League Baseball, Little League named the press row at Volunteer Stadium in his honor.

Buck was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church.

In addition to his wife, Buck is survived by his children, Rob (Cathy) Byham, of Linden, and Kathleen (Mitchell) Boyle, of Dade City, Fla.; five grandchildren, Ed and Matt Boyle and Culley, Annie and Ben Byham; seven nephews; and four nieces.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Carl Byham; and sister, Florence Baruth.

A memorial service to honor the life of Buck will be held 11 a.m. Monday at Messiah Lutheran Church, 324 S. Howard St., South Williamsport, with his pastor The Rev. Joshua L. Reinsburrow, officiating.

A private interment will be held in Montoursville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Messiah Lutheran Church, or a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements are entrusted to Sanders Mortuary.