Myra Bye

Myra Ramona Bye was born April 8, 1922, to William and Irene (Puff) Knigge in Winfield Township, Minn., and died June 11, 2015, while pulling weeds in her back yard on North Russet Street. She was 93. The fourth of nine children, Myra was predeceased by six of her siblings; parents; husband, Russell Bye; and son, Tim. She is survived by her sister, Pat Harguth; brother, Jerry Knigge; sons, Michael (Jackie) Bye of Happy Valley and Thomas Bye of Portland; daughter, Sheila (Richard) Spohn of Portland; 10 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. Like most of her generation, those who experienced the Great Depression and World War II, Myra valued hard work and family and was rather thrifty. She took great pride in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and served as a true matriarch for her entire family. Myra was independent, self-reliant and downright tough. She suffered from some serious health issues in the past 10 years, some of them seemingly life-threatening, but always bounced back better than ever. She lived comfortably with her daughter for a short period but insisted on returning to the home she had shared with her beloved Russ, where her children had grown up, and where she had greeted ensuing generations of her family. And those weeds needed to be pulled. Myra was much loved and will be sorely missed by her family and all who knew her.