Lyle Layer

Birth: Born in 1919 in Washington.  

Family Information: Son of Harry and Opal (Emry) Layer.

Brother of Doris Layer.

Grandson of Robert and Cora Emry.

Description: On his WWII Draft Registration Card he was described as weighing 186 pounds and 5'10" tall; he had a ruddy complexion with blue eyes and brown hair.  

Pre-Colony History: In 1920 he was living in Washington with his parents, sister and paternal grandmother. In 1930 the parents and two children were living in Iowa.

In June 1931 the family visited the Ray Bradshaw family who were living in the colony -- Mrs. Layer was a sister to Nettie Bradshaw -- they planned to stay for some time and were already on the job.  

Home in Colony:  

Job in Colony: In July 1931 the "Busy Beavers" consisting of Vivian Busick, Irene Hewitt, Jeannette Wooley, Jane Lentz, Wanda Self, Iris Busick, Norman Bays, Phillip Lentz, Kenneth Dean, Archie Ogden, Ernest Ogden, Byron Busick, Jimmie Dix, George Maki and Lyle Layer, under the leadership of Mrs. Killian, gathered Himalayan berries at the orchard this morning and in the afternoon picked blackberries out of the woods.

In 1932 he and Raymond Ogden drove the roustabout wagon to pick up the filled mailsacks from the print shop and deliver them to the railroad station. In 1933 he was helping his father in the machine shop.

In 1934 he went to the Gila location where he helped with the garden work after school hours.  

Other Info: In 1932 he played the drums/traps in the newly organized Junior Orchestra which was being organized and taught by Fred Hamel.

In 1933 Lyle was in 7th grade in the colony school. He was selected to represent his class on the board of the Llano Junior Co-operators Organization. He was also the editor of the Junior Co-operator section of the "Llano Colonist." 

Post-Colony History:  

Death: Died in 2004 in Los Angeles, California.  

Sources: US Census: 1920, 1930, 1940; "Llano Colonist": June 6, 1931, July 11, 1931, April 9, 1932, December 10, 1932, February 11, 1933, May 6, 1933, April 15, 1933, April 14, 1934; WWII Draft Registration Card: US SSDI; FindAGrave.com