Adela Byer

Adela T. Byer, 94, died August 3, 2009 at Charter House in Rochester, MN. She was born February 10, 1915 in Chino, California, the eldest of the five daughters of Arthur E. and Lucy Williams Tissot. Adela graduated from Chino High School in 1932, Upland College in 1934, and Huntington Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1939.


On March 21, 1940, she married Everett Byer at Chino, California. They made their home near Hamlin, Kansas, where she was a homemaker and mother of three children. She was active as a 4-H club leader, a Sunday school teacher and later a deaconess at Sabetha Congregational (NorthRidge) Church. From 1963-1976, Adela T. Byer, R.N. was employed at the Hiawatha Community Hospital, Hiawatha, Kansas. Her special interests included gardening, especially roses, sewing, and quilting. Adela delighted in feeding and watching birds. She made a denim quilt for each of her eight grandsons. Many delicious meals were prepared for family, guests and farm help over the years. In 1996, they moved to the Apostolic Christian Village in Sabetha, Kansas, and in 2008 to Shorewood Commons in Rochester, MN. Everett died October 23, 2008. In May 2009 Adela moved to Charter House, where staff recalls how her face lit up in the presence of children.


Also preceding her in death were an infant daughter, Ruth Irene; four sisters, Constance Martin, Pearl Ashley, Evelyn Warner, and Pauline Longanecker; and a son-in-law, Dr. Bruce T. Groff.


Survivors include her sons, Dr. David (Jeannie) of Rochester, MN and Les (Celia) of Marion, KS; a daughter, Janet Groff of Sioux Center, IA; eleven grandchildren: Lois (Joe) Caffrey, Dr. Brian (Sharon)Byer, Elaine (Joel) Heuton, Glenn Byer(Karli), Craig Byer, Paul (Lizzy) Byer; Sarah (Brian) Dukek, Andrew (Theresa) Groff, Matthew(Katie) Groff ; Eric Byer, and Christopher (Stephanie) Byer; fourteen great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Carol (Doug) DuCharme of Goleta, California.


Visitation will be Saturday August 8th from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at Mahn Family Funeral Home in Rochester, Minnesota, concluding with a prayer service at 5:00 PM.


Additionally, visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Friday August 14th at Popkess Mortuary in Sabetha. A Celebration of Life service will be held 10:00 AM on Saturday August 15th at the Popkess Mortuary Chapel. Interment will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be designated for the NorthRidge Church Building Fund or Gideons International in care of the funeral home.