Launa Jo Byington

Syracuse, Utah-Launa Jo Byington, 57, passed away Thursday Jan. 1, 2015. Launa was the youngest of Dowe and Fern Byington's five children. An honor student, she graduated from Marsh Valley High School and was active in band and athletics. She attended Ricks College and became an emergency medical technician. She continued her education at Brigham Young University and played on the soccer team. Her interest in medicine led her to become a student athletic trainer. She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Antwerp, Belgium, and learned the Flemish language. She returned and earned a sports medicine degree.

Launa joined the US Air Force Reserves, became an Aeromedical Evacuation Technician, and saw much of the world. She was called up to active duty during Desert Storm and participated in Med-Evacuation of patients from Saudi Arabia to Germany.

After graduation from the University of Washington as a Physician Assistant she worked at a county jail, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Job Corps, and at the time of her death The University of Utah Health Care.

Throughout her adult life Launa battled cancer, yet always found joy helping others despite the hardships of cancer. She passed away New Year's day surrounded by family and the caring Huntsman Cancer medical team. She is survived by her mother Fern and four siblings - Jeananne Welch, Karen Davis, Carla Scanlon, and Evan D. Byington.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday January 10, at the LDS Church at 3267 West 700 South, Syracuse, Utah. The family will receive friends that morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the same location.

Military Grave Site Rites will be held at the Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, cemetery that afternoon at 3 p.m.