Joseph Byouk Obituary

Joseph Robert Byouk
GREER, SC - The family that we are given and the friends that we choose to be part of that family are knit together by shared memories. In the end, that is all that we have. Joseph Robert Byouk was a master at making wonderful life memories for the people he loved. Although he certainly left us earlier than he wanted to, Joe lived more fully and accomplished more than most people while he was here. Joe, a devoted husband, father and noted business leader, died unexpectedly at his home of a heart attack on Tuesday, January 19th.
Joe would be the first to say that his immediate family and friends were his joy and strength. He and his wife of 29 years, Robin, his son, Joseph Charles, 22, and his daughter, Elizabeth Kay, 20, shared exotic diving adventures, sunny days on the golf course and soccer pitch, and magical evenings in the theater. Joe was someone who would call from a far-flung airport just to say hello, or who would gather old friends for fun when he was in town. He was the "glue" that held groups of people together, he was the one who never forgot a friend, and his was the laughter that captured a room full of friends or a table full of family. He was his son's best friend, his daughter's first love and the center of Robin's life.
Born on September 26, 1959, in Whittier, CA, Joe spent his childhood in Bernardsville, NJ, and moved to his adopted hometown, Aiken, SC, in his early teens. Joe graduated from Aiken High School in 1977 and earned his B.S. in Marketing and Finance at USC-Columbia in 1982. A talented negotiator and sales professional, Joe's career included 15 years with TE Connectivity in Harrisburg, PA, where he rose to Global Product Manager, followed by leadership positions with Tesa AG and Morgan Advanced Materials and Technology. Most recently, Joe served as President of CeramTec in Laurens, SC, and as Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Jarden Zinc. His career took him all over the world, and his energy, strategic talents and dedication to his work resulted in sales growth and market expansion for the companies he represented.
Joe was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Martin Byouk. In addition to the immediate family, Joe is survived by his mother, Phyllis Kay, of Bernardsville, NJ, as well as by his sister and her husband, Nancy and Jim Marshall, and nephews, William and Jack Hammeke of Jenkintown, PA. Also bereaved are his mother-in-law, Barbara Hary, his sister-in-law Heather Hary Sharar, his brother-in-law and his wife, Tim and Dawn Hary, all of Harrisburg, PA, as well as his many beloved friends from Aiken, SC.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the South Carolina Chapter of the March of Dimes. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 22, 2016, at St. Paul's Anglican Church, 304 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville, SC, 29601, with a drop-in reception immediately following, kindly hosted by the Davenport at 230 Trade Street, Greer, SC, 29651.