Dearest Grandma ~

Our sweet Grandmother Doris Lucille Byron Warner recently passed away On Feb 25, 2011. What a wonderful & sweet lady she is. We have such fond memories and will miss her greatly!

Isn't she Beautiful?! I just love this picture of her!

She has a special place in my heart as she took me in as one of her own granddaughters when I married Leonard and joined his family! She was now my Grandma and I loved her so much!

Grandma Doris was born in 1924 in Ashton, ID to loving parents. 

She attended nursing school at the LDS Hospital in Idaho Falls, ID where she served in the Cadet Nursing Corp. and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1945. She worked in a military hospital in Fort Collins, CO, where she met Louis "Lew" Byron. He was an on the U.S.S. Arizona that was bombed in the Pearl Harbor attack and survived. Grandma was his nurse and they fell in love. Her parents told her she was just wooed by the fact he was a man in uniform, but she told them she has only seen him in pajama's for a couple months. They did not like that fact either. They "courted" as grandma said and fell in love and were married in oct 1945.

They raised six children while Lew served in the Navy. Doris continued to work as a nurse. The Military took them to Idaho, California, West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, & Montana. 

When Lew retired in 1960, they moved to Montana's Bitterroot Valley where they settled on a ranch in Corvallis. Grandma was a nurse til she retired in 1983. She was a very well loved nurse and her many of her patients remembered her when they ran into her years after she cared for them. She was gentle and kind and lovingly helped so many in need. She doctored Leonard up many times when he was a boy. Everyone depended on Grandma to help them feel better when they were sick or hurt. She loved to help her family.

Grandma Doris & Lew Byron... They were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1982.

I Love the Idaho Falls Temple too! This is where Leonard asked me to marry him! aaah the memories :)

Lew & Doris were blessed with only one daughter.... Laura Lee... MY WONDERFUL Mother in law!

I think Laura Lee is like her mother in many ways, She is gentle, caring, loving and willing to help anyone in need. Grandma Doris taught her daughter well. At Grandma's funeral, we were blessed to hear from Grandma's only daughter and she shared with us a poem she wrote in 2002 about her sweet mother. I want to share it because I think it is very special. I hope you don't mind Laura Lee ;)

Reflections of My Mother 

I saw a picture the other day, it was one

in black and white.

At first I thought that it was me,

But I knew that wasn't right,

'Cuz there in that picture was my dad

And all my brothers too.

I could not believe my eyes, dear mother,

I look just like you.

It makes me feel good inside when 

I hear someone say,

"You look exactly like your mom;

Just like her in every way."

I always thought you were beautiful

But I hope that I can be

As good as you on the inside;

That's what I hope they'll see.

I've always wanted to be like you

Since I was a tiny girl,

I learned from you everything that 

Prepared me to face the world.

So when I look into the mirror

I try to look inside

And hope that how I live my life

Will fill my mom with pride.

- Laura Lee Zito

November 2002

 In 1995 Grandma & Lew moved to Idaho Falls, ID where Grandpa Lew Byron passed away in 1998 and in 2001 Grandma was blessed to marry Chet Warner. 

Chet is a special man and was a big part in grandma's life for decades before grandpa Lew's passing. Chet was married to June, Grandma's sister. Chet always helped grandma as Lew was sick for several years and couldn't do much. Chet always was there to do the yard work, and helped grandma with her honey-do lists. Every friday Grandma, June & Chet attended the temple together. When June got sick and passed away, Chet was still there to help our Grandma. They had each other for support. 

Grandma was serving a mission at the Idaho Falls Family History Center at the time Chet proposed marriage to her. She was not sure what to do. She wanted to marry him, but she was a missionary. Missionary's don't get married while they are serving. She visited with her bishop and mission president. They said it would be ok if she tied the knot even though she was a missionary. 

I think that is so cute! I love Grandma. She is a valiant member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. She spent much of her life serving others and sharing the love of our Savior Jesus Christ to those she came in contact with! I love her bold example and I want to be just like her when I grow up!

 ~ Pictures from the Past ~

Great Grandma Doris Byron with our baby Kaitlyn back in 1999. We loved to visit her on our family road trips up north to wyoming and montana every year. She always welcomed us with open arms and lots of hugs and kisses. 

Carly & Great Grandma dishing up some yummy potato salad! Grandmas was a great cook! 2003

Grandma was always willing to feed us when we would visit. She would have supper waiting and the table set waiting our arrival. We usually would drive straight to grandma's house in idaho falls, ID from our home in Mesa, AZ... we are talking 16 hours of driving. We were so relieved to make it there safe and sound every time.  

Here we are in 2007. Grandma & Chet get to meet Blake for the first time!

The Zito kids & their Great Grandma in 2009

We loved our visits with grandma!

Grandma is very special to Leonard. It was always fun to hear her tell stories about when she was a child and a young mother. She is easy to talk to and is a wealth of knowledge.

When Leonard and I were first married. She offered to let us live at her home while we got on our feet. I always appreciated her kindness. We loved that first home of ours in that little unfinished basement. She always told us she wished it was finished for us, but I didn't mind the concrete floors and drywall walls! I made it homey. It was perfect! While Leonard was off at school during the day I would visit with Grandma and get to know her. I helped clean her home and we ate a LOT of chicken living with her. :)

Everyone LOVED her Chocolate Waffles! Wow ~ they were a hit!

She was my temple buddy. We attended the Idaho Falls Temple together and my love for the service in the temple started then and there... with Grandma by my side! Oh how I love this lady! I miss her!

Can't you just see the love?

No matter when you showed up at grandma's door, you were always welcomed with genuine love and she was so happy to see you. There are not many places you can go to feel this special.

The Zito family with our favorite Grandma in July 2010. We did not know this would be our final visit with her. Looking back, I am so glad we took the time to visit her and share our family with her. We wish it could have been more than once a year.

During this visit, we could tell her health was becoming more fragile and we left with tears in our eyes that this might be our last visit with her. As we were trying to hold back the tears at our final goodbye, she proclaimed her love for our Savior Jesus Christ and testified that He lives and he knows us personally. She told us that the gospel is true and to live our life that would be pleasing to our God. We hugged one last time and it was hard to leave her. We all love this lady so much. 

I am so glad for the knowledge that death is not the end. We come to this earth to gain a body. To learn, to grow, make mistakes and repent for them. Try our very best and then try, try again. We have families and we love them. We are all meant to die and when we do, we grieve and we feel sorrow and pain. It is all part of God's plan. This life is a test and we will live again. I know we will get to visit with our beloved Grandma again. We will get to hug and kiss her again. We will get to have a joyful reunion with her some day. This knowledge brings me peace and I know we can endure to the end. I know the Lord loves us and he wants us to return to him. We need to fill our lives here on earth with the things that matter the most. Building a personal relationship with our savior Jesus Christ makes this crazy journey we call life more bearable. I am truly grateful for the good example our dearest grandmother set for us. 

Leonard & I drove to Idaho Falls last week to attend her funeral. It was a sad time. We cried, we miss her. It doesn't seem real she is really gone! But the service was great. We learned more about this amazing lady and Uncle Joel did a great job telling her life story. She was great at writing in her journal and Joel compiled her life story straight from her words first person from her journals. I loved her spunk! It was delightful to laugh and some funny things she wrote and shared.

Leonard & 2 of his brothers... Nathan & Johnathan! Handsome Zito men :)

The Zito Family at the luncheon after the funeral. We left our kids at home since it was such a short trip and long ride. We are missing April's hubby Steve and Kris & Jenn's Family & Paul.

As sad as funeral are, it is nice to reunite with the ones you love and it helps put life into perspective. 

It is a good reminder to what are the most important things in life. Your family!