Obituary of Robert Lee Byrum

Robert Lee "R L" Byrum March 08, 1925 - June 23, 2017 Graveside funeral services for Robert Lee “R L” Byrum, 92, of Lovington, NM will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 10:00 am at Lovington Cemetery with Bro. Wayne Brazil officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Kirby-Smith-Rogers Funeral Home. Mr. Byrum, one of thirteen children, was born in Atoka, Oklahoma on March 8, 1925, to Edward and Myrtle (Walters) Byrum and passed away on June 23, 2017 in Lovington. He moved to Morton, TX in 1942 and then in December of 1943 he joined the US Navy serving in WWII aboard the USS Barnes aircraft carrier, in mostly the South Pacific. He was discharged in November of 1945 and came to work in the oilfields of Lovington, where he met and married his sweetheart, Bobbye Strawn in 1947. They have shared seventy years of life and love together. They farmed at McDonald and in 1963 moved to a farm on the Tatum Hwy and spent 53 years there before moving into Lovington to Good Life Assisted Living Center. At the age of forty, he took up the hobby of team roping and trained himself and his horse, “Baldy”. From 1981 through 1990, R.L. was manager of a ranch for Mayo Estate in Las Vegas, NM and they traveled back and forth between Lovington and there. His passion in life was his love of ranching, farming, and especially his “cows.” He was still ranching with his son, Larry at the time of his death. R. L. was preceded in death by his parents; one son: Robbie in 1973 and twelve siblings. Surviving him is his wife Bobbye, of Lovington, one son: Larry Byrum of Lovington and one daughter: Sandy and husband Dick Crocker of Houston, TX; one granddaughter: Amanda and husband James Barrett of Herford, TX and three great-grandchildren: Lauren, Hannah and Emma and a host of friends. Visitation will be held on Monday, June 26, 2017 from 11:00 – 6:00 pm and Tuesday from 10:00 -7:00 pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches, 6209 Hendrix Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87110.