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The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., April 13, 1961, page 1

FUNERAL FOR JOHN WYERS HELD MONDAY

Episcopalian funeral services were held in the Bethel Congregational Church of White Salmon on Monday, April 10th for John G. Wyers. Mr. Wyers came to White Salmon in 1891. He passed away at his home here on April 5th. Services were given by the Right Reverend Lane Barton of Bend, Oregon, assisted by Reverend Robert Allen of Hood River and Reverend Roger Clevenger of White Salmon. Interment was in the IOOF Cemetery, White Salmon.
Casket bearers, active were: selected from the Masonic Lodge: Earl Dean, Clarence Johnson, Steven Wnuk, Harold Lewis, Dan Hunsaker, Joe Vezina.
Honorary casket bearers were selected from the IOOF Lodge: Roy Cain, George Driver, William Manly Jr., Homer James, Sam Dalles, Clarence Randall.
Survivors include: one son Teunis J. Wyers of Hood River, Oregon; three grandchildren: Mrs. Wilbur Easley of Eugene, Oregon, Mr. Jan G. Wyers and Teunis James Wyers, Jr. One great grandchild: Martin Easley. One brother: T. Wyers, Jr. of White Salmon. Also three step-daughters and numerous other relatives.

The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., April 13, 1961, page 1
Includes portrait

"UNCLE JOHN" WYERS TELLS FRIENDS NOT TO MOURN END OF GOOD LIFE

John G. Wyers, one of the White Salmon's first and most-beloved pioneers, died at his home Wednesday night, April 5, seven days before his 90th birthday. On the previous Sunday he asked the Sun to tell his friends goodbye in these words.
I have lived a long and full life - blessed with many friends. The days of my usefulness are gone. Now I am ready to go."
John Gerabrand Wyers was born April 12, 1871, in Zevanaar, Holland and came to the U.S. with his parents, Teunis and Marie Wyers when he was 17 years old.
The Wyers family farmed at Onaga, Pottawotomie County, Kansas for four years before John came to White Salmon in the spring of 1891. The rest of the family (Hendricka, Gertrude, Teunis, Peter, Minnie and infant Ida) came in 1892. Their arrival swelled the village population to six families.
John was married to Louella Shaw on April 3, 1899 and moved to Camas Prairie (Glenwood) to for. Their only son, Teunis James of Hood River was born there on June 28, 1901.
John moved to White Salmon and opened a butcher shop which he sold in 1916. In February 1923 he acquired the Columbia Fruit Union which he renamed Wyers Trading Co. After the death of his second wife, Jennie Healy, he sold his business in 1940 and retired.
But not to a life of leisure. He raised enough fruit, berries and vegetables on his two-acre place to feed a small town. It kept him busy giving his produce to friends.
His Christmas Day open-houses were a tradition where he greeted all comers like a country squire and regaled held them for hours with Tom and Jerrys, baked ham and pioneer bread made from his own home-ground flour.
But the meat of the feast was his vivid anecdotes of the gay-blade bachelor days, as an auctioneer, square dance caller, mayor of White Salmon, school board director, county commissioner, Masonic master, an Odd Fellow for 59 years during which he was largely responsible for starting the local Odd Fellow Cemetery where he now rests.
"Uncle John" had a superb sense of humor and was often the butt of his own jokes.
When someone criticized his adopted country, he said: "Every day of my life I want to stand on my roof and shout to the world what a wonderful nation this is."
Two years ago John asked the Sun to write his obituary so that he could censor such compliments. We are glad we never got around to it.
Friends gathered at Bethel Congregational Church last Monday, April 10 to pay their final respects. The Right Rev. Lane Barton of Bend assisted by the Rev. Albert E. Allen of Hood River and Rev. Roger Clevenger of White Salmon read the Episcopal service.
John's son Teunis delivered a simple eulogy to his father.
Other survivors include three grandchildren, Mrs. Wilbur Karen Easley and Jan G. Wyers, both of Eugene, Oregon, and Tunis J. Wyers, Jr. of Hood River.
A sole-surviving brother, Teunis Wyers of White Salmon and three step-daughters, Mrs. Ed Grill of Albany, Oregon; Mrs. Charlotte Sarnamburg, of Richmond, Calif.; and Mrs. Max Livingston, La Grande, Oregon.
Active casket bearers were provided by Masonic Lodge 163 of White Salmon; honorary bearers were Odd Fellows.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 13, 1961, page 1

WHITE SALMON PIONER DEAD

John Gerbrand Wyers, 89, a pioneer of the White Salmon area, died at his home there last Wednesday night. He had been bedfast at his home for several weeks.
He was born April 12, 1871 at Zevenaar, Holland, and at the age of 17 came with his parents to this country, to a farm at Omega, Kansas.
There were but five houses in White Salmon when he arrived in 1891, Mr. Wyers said. In 1899 he was married to Louella Shaw and moved to Camas Prairie to farm. His son, Teunis J. Wyers was born here in 1901.
Later he retired from farming to operate a butcher shop in White Salmon, which he sold in 1916. In February of 1923 he acquired the Columbia Fruit Union, which he renamed the Wyers Trading Co.
Mr. Wyers was a former mayor of White Salmon, a school director, and county commissioner. He was a past Masonic master. He had been an Odd Fellow for 59 years.
Funeral services were held April 10 at 2 p.m. at the White Salmon Congregational church. Survivors include his son, Teunis J. Wyers, Hood River; three grandchildren, Mrs. Wilbur Easley and Jan G. Wyers, Eugene; and Teunis J. Wyers Jr., Hood River; and a brother Teunis Wyers, White Salmon.