Students, faculty and community members joined together in Hubbell Hall on Friday, April 25, to watch the livestream of President Jay Byers’ celebration of life ceremony held at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines.
Filled with joyous music and community, the ceremony celebrated the deep impact Byers left on not only Simpson but the world.
“It’s with a heavy heart, yet with a sense of profound respect and admiration, that I welcome you to this undeniably sad occasion,” Kristi Knous, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, said. “Yet with Jay’s creative, fun spirit in mind, this is also a day to celebrate who he was and what he meant to all of us.”
Attendees spoke to the impact Byers left on Iowa, as a wide variety of guests attended. From former governor Terry Branstad to current governor Kim Reynolds, Hoyt Sherman Place was filled by those Byers left a mark on.
“I’m guessing, regardless of the thread that connected you to Jay, you considered him a friend because that was the essence of Jay,” Knous said.
Chaplin Mara Bailey spoke to Byers’ impact, stating, “Everyone has a Jay Byers story, even if it’s not about him directly, you’ve got a connection. Jay made us all feel like the most important person in the room.”
President Byers’ older brother, Boyd, shared stories from childhood. Telling of Byers’ antics, such as wearing underwear on his head and calling himself “The Grasshopper,” to eating cat food and pretending to be turning into a cat.
“When the two of us got together, the stupid went up exponentially, and so Jay and I had to explain to them [their daughters] that immature is simply a word that boring people use to describe fun people,” Boyd said.
Mostly, Boyd explained how Byers was always the lanky, goofy man we knew him to be.
“It said that a brother is a friend given by nature, and in that regard, I won the lottery,” Boyd said. “Jay cast a long shadow, not only figuratively, but literally.”
Boyd told of Byers’ willingness to break the rules in order to get things done.
“Jay was not always one to follow the rules. He liked to do things his own way and shake things up,” Boyd said. “And, of course, Jay’s willingness to color outside the lines and his perseverance to not accept the status quo or take no for an answer would later serve him well, particularly as a force of progress at the Greater Des Moines Partnership and later at Simpson College.”
Byers’ daughters, Sophie and Charlotte, spoke about their father’s unwavering support in all their endeavors and the deep love he held for the arts.
“My dad wasn’t just our biggest fan. He was our dad-a-ger,” Charlotte said. “Honestly, we were kind of nepo babies because he got us most of our gigs and promoted us to his large social media following.”
Sophie added, “I can tell he was meant to be a girl dad.”
David Hayes, President of Coe College and longtime friend and bandmate of Byers, spoke to Byers’ time in law school and beyond.
“From the very beginning, he felt like someone who we had always known,” Hayes said. “Being around Jay was easy, natural, so effortlessly woven into the brighter parts of our days that it’s hard to imagine a time before he was a part of our lives.”
Hayes had the privilege to speak at Byers’ inauguration after Byers spoke at his at Coe. But before that, Hayes introduced Byers to his future wife, Katie.
“I was close friends with both Jay and Katie individually before they met and began the courtship. If you’ve never been in that situation, it never ends well,” Hayes said. “But with Jay and Katie, and it just worked somehow, instead of tension, there was kind of a gravitational pull, like something good was being stitched together right in front of us.”
Following these remarks, Charlotte’s band, “Plumero,” performed their original song, “Anything,” to honor Byers and his love of music.
Jeff Russell, President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Nebraska, talked about his friendship with Byers at the Greater Des Moines Partnership.
“It was a little more than one week ago, the world lost the shining light of Jay Byers. At that moment, we lost a great human. I lost an even better friend,” Russell said. “I’ve given many speeches in my life as a corporate CEO. None will be harder than this, not because it’s hard to memorialize Jay and his accomplishments. It’s hard because of the promise of what was to come. It’s hard because I loved him.”

Russell, in agreement with previous speakers, spoke to Byers’ deep friendships and ability to connect with anyone he met.
“Jay was always willing to reach out his hand across the aisle. Republican or Democrat, urban, or suburban or rural, any race, gender, or orientation, it was an attitude reflecting the values he learned growing up in northwest Iowa,” Russell said. “When you saw that big six-foot-six frame, the goofy grin and the permanently ajar bow tie enter the room, it changed. It seemed that no matter what room, he knew nearly everyone. In that way, he never met a stranger.”
Russell also asked attendees to look to the future and build on what Byers built.
“So, where do we go from here? First, we grieve for the promise of what could have been, but we all know Jay would have stopped that. He would want us to move forward,” Russell said. “What he might say is that those of us in this room, we are the giants of the future. It’s our responsibility to move forward. We can’t look to others. It’s up to us. We have to be the shoulders the others will stand on tomorrow.”
He added, “Those of us who are close to Jay, we can be tempted to live in the moment of, what if? I’ve come to believe that the world of what-if is a fool’s errand.”
Afterward, his former bandmates performed “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel, the song Byers sang at his inauguration as president of Simpson.
James Smith, childhood friend and Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) brother, spoke about his long friendship with Byers.
“I figured out very early in my adult life that following Jay was a really good idea,” Smith said.
After following Byers to Simpson, Smith says he was immediately recruited by Byers to ATO. “Once I got there, Jay found me right away, recruited me to join ATO and also to move in. And that was really the true start of our lifelong friendship.”
While Smith admitted he couldn’t tell some stories from his time in ATO with Byers, he did tell the story of Byers interrupting a tennis match.
“So the Simpson tennis courts are right behind the fraternity houses, just across the small parking lot. Jay once connected his microphone to some really big, powerful speakers, pointed those speakers out the third floor window towards the tennis courts, and proceeded to do a live commentary of a Simpson tennis match,” Smith said.
Smith continued to follow Byers throughout his career, eventually ending up in Indianola after some planning from Byers. Smith said he owes most, if not all, of his career to Byers’ intervention.

“He never took himself too seriously, but of all the people in our community, he could have, right? But he never did,” Smith said. “He was a normal guy, mostly normal guy with a huge heart for helping others laugh, enjoy life and succeed.”
Tiffany Tauscheck, president & CEO of Greater Des Moines Partnership, gave a “bow tie moment” that used the quirky necktie as a symbol for Byers.
“It wasn’t just his style choice, it was his trademark, his emblem,” Tauscheck said. “Bow ties are known for being distinctive, distinguished. But let’s be honest, even without a bow tie, Jay stood out in a crowd.”
Tauscheck explained how bow ties often signify creativity, something embodied by Byers’ big, innovative ideas. She also said bow ties can be a symbol for the nerdy.
“Bow ties can also be viewed, and I say this with sincere love, as a little nerdy,” Tauscheck said. “And Jay was that too, and he embraced it.”
While Byers may be known for his signature bow ties of various colors, Tauscheck reminded others how they were never perfect, just like Byers himself.
“While the bow tie can be viewed as fancy or dapper, Jay’s bow tie was never quite perfectly tied or symmetrical, always just a little off center and tilted, and that was just perfect for Jay,” Tauscheck said. “As we move forward together, remembering and honoring Jay, stand tall. Adjust your bow tie just a little askew and smile away. Remember the power of believing in others, believing in our community and giving others hope.”
John Norris, former bandmate and friend of Byers, spoke on Byers’ deep commitments to equal justice and diversity. Starting with his band creating an annual “Law-Law-Palooza” fundraiser for the Equal Justice Foundation.
“Jay was a big believer in party with a purpose. We launched an annual Law School benefit event for the Equal Justice Foundation,” Norris said. “Jay and I agreed on the benefit for the Equal Justice Foundation because it was core to his moral foundation.”Norris also explained that “Law School Jay” was exactly the man people knew today.
“In case you were wondering, law school Jay was the same Jay you knew with that infectious smile, humor, kindness, humble, brilliance and that goofy joy,” Norris said. “You can combine that incredible compassion and love, showed everyone that you would think that you had discovered Mr. Rogers’ twin brother with a bow tie.”
Norris remembered Byers’ love of law and business but recognized his need for public service, stating, “Public Service was his calling; he just plain cared about people. Jay was selfless. He sometimes or often put the cause ahead of himself.”
Norris explained how Byers felt a purpose to help those who are underserved or underrepresented. He believes Byers used his legal background to help those in need and push for change.
“Jay was so proud of the greater Des Moines welcoming spirit and the color and diversity of joy that he knew why it was brought to him, especially immigrants and refugees, and what they meant to our quality of life and success,” Norris said. “Lead with your heart, and, like Jay, your best creativity and vision will follow. Anchor your values and concerns for the underserved, the neglected, the discriminated.”

Jackie Norris read a letter from Kaite Byers to the community, explaining her grief and appreciation for the support she has received.
“Losing him has left a pain I can’t yet describe, but in this darkness, the love that has poured in from near and far has lifted my spirit and reminded me just how deeply he was loved,” Norris read.
Katie asked for space during this trying time while her family grieves, but gave her gratitude for the overwhelming support she has received. She asked, in Byers’ memory, to help and care for others.
“If Jay left a spark in your life, follow it, share it and pass that good energy along,” Norris read. “In his honor, do something big or small that radiates love. Reach out to someone who needs a kind word, offer patience, give to a mental health cause. Sit in stillness with someone who’s hurting. Do not be silent.”
She added, “Jay put a tremendous amount of pressure on himself to be perfect and feared letting anyone down. Please remember that no one expects you to be perfect.”
The finale of the celebration was filled with music, with the Simpson choir singing, followed by “Let It Be” by The Beatles. This song was played at the Byers’ wedding and holds deep meaning for the family.
The song filled the room, with guests and attendees singing along to honor Byers and his adoration of music.
“Jay Byers was, by all accounts, a star. That’s an understatement; he was a superstar. But as astronomers tell us, each star only has so much star fuel. Maybe Jay’s star burned too bright and too hot for too long and eventually ran out of fuel,” Boyd said. “But he managed to accomplish more and have more experiences in his 54 1⁄2 years than most people do in a 100 years.”
“He left an amazing legacy, and his fingerprints are truly everywhere,” Smith added.
“He touched so many lives and left such a positive mark on this community. I hope he knows how deeply he is loved, not just by his family, but by the entire city of Des Moines,” Charlotte said.
“I recently heard it said that everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives. Jay truly lived for sure,” Russell said.
Students, faculty and the community joined together for a vigil for President Jay Byers on

THURSDAY, APRIL 24

The Simpson College community came together in Cowles Gymnasium to grieve the loss of President Byers. Chaplin Mara Bailey spoke to Byers’ deep connection to both Simpson and the community.
“President Byers believed in the power of connection and collaboration, and the words of condolences in many ways that he has been honored are a testament to that,” Bailey said.
Interim Academic Dean CoryAnne Harrigan spoke to students specifically, stating, “Everyone knows that Jay loved Simpson, but I want to tell you that Jay loved you. He loved you and wanted you to go on by loving yourselves and each other.”
Roger Degerman, vice president for marketing and strategic communication, agreed, stating, “Jay was your biggest fan. He lived with going to those games, those matches, those meets, those concerts. President Byers beamed with pride about all of you, like a proud father, whether he was on campus in the community or out around the country, meeting with alumni and benefactors, he was always eager to boast about your accomplishments.”

Attendees were shown a short video memorializing Byers’ impact on the community, followed by a moment of silence. Watch the video here.
“The Simpson community was flying high, one might say, on cloud nine with Jay’s arrival. You could see it and you could feel it as you walked across campus,” Degerman said. “We all walked a little taller, of course, never as tall as Jay, but we definitely had an extra pep in our step.”
Max Meyers and Will Patrick performed an original song about Byers’ impact on campus that spoke to Byers’ intense love and dedication to his alma mater.
Cards were provided for community members to write notes of condolence to Byers’ family.
“Jay touched all of us and helped us believe that we can do great things together,” Degerman said. “He has Simpson on a promising trajectory, and we will continue to rise, faithfully building on the momentum he quickly created.”