Byron Feldhake
Dec. 10, 1938 – March 18, 2017, Concord.
SuperTour’s indefatigable Byron Richard Feldhake, died March 18, 2017, after a long illness. He was 78. Born December 10, 1938 in Columbus, Ohio to Bill and Dorothy Feldhake, Byron and his family moved to the Concord area during WWII, when Byron was four. A graduate of Mount Diablo High School, Byron married Sybil on March 13, 1969. In addition to his wife Sybil, Byron is survived by his sister Mary Cosme, his brother William Feldhake, his sons Richard (49) and Corey (44) Feldhake, and four grandchildren.
Byron served in the Air Force from 1957 to 1960, where he was trained as an airplane mechanic and machinist. After his Air Force service Bryon applied his considerable fabrication expertise to building truck-mounted drilling rigs for Byron’s Drilling, the foundation drilling company he formed with partner Byron Kelly. Byron retired from the drilling business at age 65.
A parish member of St. Agnes Church in Concord, Byron frequently volunteered his time to help build homes in Mexico in support of his church’s charity housing programs.
Cycling was a passion in Byron’s life, as he participated in many long rides and adventures and served for some time as President of the Diablo Wheelmen, the founding organization of SuperTour. However he will be best remembered for his more than 20 years of service as the indispensable support bus driver from 1982 (Alberta and British Columbia) to 2007 (Idaho). Driving first his own schoolbus and later a retired greyhound, Byron was always smiling and eternally helpful, doing the thousands of small and often unnoticed things required to make every SuperTour a success, and all without complaint. Byron set a standard for SuperTour support that continues to this day, and is responsible in no small part for the enduring success of this venerable event, now celebrating its 43rd year in 2017.
Byron is interred at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, CA.
