COLL/461 Guide to the Gary Byker Collection Byker, Gary Collection

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Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, 49546 URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
This finding aid was encoding in EAD by Archon 3.21 from an SQL database source on March 29th, 2024. The collection description/finding aid is written in English
Guide to the Gary Byker Collection 1941/2004 Heritage Hall, Hekman Library Overview of the Collection Gary Byker Collection 1941-2004 COLL/461 Byker, Gary, 1920-1997 1.40 3 Boxes Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
Michigan State Senator and World War II veteran. The collection includes memorabilia, documents, photographs, records, resolutions, and other materials.
Biographical Information:

Gary Byker was born on November 27, 1920 in Alvord, Iowa. Growing up during the Great Depression, Byker had to quit grade school to work. He joined the U.S. army in World War II, and was stationed in North Africa and Italy. He was wounded in combat 3 times, and became a decorated war veteran. After serving in the army for 5 years, he decided that he wanted to become a Christian school teacher. Despite only having a seventh grade education, Calvin College accepted Byker due to the government noting that war veteran use general equivalency diplomas to enter college. He entered Calvin College at the age of 30. After he graduated from Calvin College, Byker taught for a short time, and then went into the real estate and land development business in western Michigan. He founded Byker Realty Company in 1956.

Byker became involved in local politics. He campaigned to the villagers of Hudsonville in his car to encourage them to vote "yes" in becoming a city. With the help of Byker's efforts, Hudsonville officially became a city in 1957. Byker served as a member of the Ottawa County Board of Supervisors, Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce, City Planning Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals. When Senator Harold Volkema died, Byker ran to become the new Senator. Byker won the candidacy. He served as a Republican State Senator from 1968 to 1978. Although conservative on economic issues, he was very passionate about education and women issues which made him popular with all constituent groups.

On a personal level, Gary Byker married Henrietta Blankespoor in 1944. Together they had six children. His son, Gaylen Byker was Calvin College's president from 1995 to 2012. They were members of the Hillcrest Christian Reformed Church. On November 14, 1997, Gary Byker passed away due to congestive heart failure. Because of his impact on both a state and local level, Hudsonville named their city's library after him, The Gary Byker Memorial Library.

Arrangement of Materials:

Folder level description

Detailed List of Contents id48590 [General Materials] id48591 1 War Department Identification Card id48592 1 1 Military records 1941-1944 id48593 1 2 Bible, inscribed 1941 id48594 1 3 Soldiers Handbook: Basic Field Material 1941 id48595 1 4 France language pamphlet, decal patch id48596 1 5 A Guide to Occupation of Enemy Territory: Italy 1943 id48597 1 6 Memorabilia from military service id48598 1 7 Documents and photographs taken from German prisoners of war in Italy id48599 1 8 Family photo album: personal keepsake during service (photographs identified by Henrietta Blankespoor Byker, January 26, 2004) 1941-1944 id48601 1 9 Photographs id48602 1 9 award of Silver Star 1944 id48603 1 9 portrait 1942 id48604 1 9 snapshots [1941-1944?] id48605 1 10 Personal correspondence excerpts; personal notebook 1941-1944 id48606 2 id48607 2 1 Examples of Michigan State Legislation 1974, 1977 id48608 2 2 Photographs re: political career id48609 2 3 Signed photographs of US Presidents (copies, originals in archives vault) id48610 2 4 Materials re: Michigan State Senate career id48611 2 5 Awards, certificates 1968-1997 id48612 2 6 Business cards id48613 3 id48614 3 1 Award plaques id48615 3 2 Political campaign material id48616 3 3 Michigan State Senate Resolutions id48617 3 4 Election certificates id48618 3 5 Michigan Senate, poster of senators 1975-1978 id48619 Photographs id48620 1 id48621 1 8 Family photo album: personal keepsake during service (photographs identified by Henrietta Blankespoor Byker, January 26, 2004) 1941-1944 id48622 1 8 (photographs identified by Henrietta Blankespoor Byker) January 26, 2004 id48623 1 9 Photographs id48624 1 9 award of Silver Star 1944 id48625 1 9 portrait 1942 id48626 1 9 snapshots [1941-1944?] id48627 2 id48628 2 2 Photographs re: political career id48629 2 3 Signed photographs of US Presidents (copies, originals in archives vault)