Mary Viola Bruce Byers

1922 - 2022

Mary Viola Bruce Byers

Dec. 4, 1922 - Jan. 6, 2022

GLENVIEW, IL - Mary Viola Bruce Byers, celebrated her 99th birthday with friends on December 4, 2021 in the Vi at the Glen at Glenview, Illinois. Mrs. Byers was a beautiful, loving, and positive person, one of the Greatest Generation, and passed January 6, 2022. She will be missed by many. As a precocious child, she caught a ride on a mail plane without her father's permission! She was an attractive "Rosie the Riveter" with a red lipstick in her pocket when she left college to work at an airplane assembly plant. She met her fiance there, but he died in WWII before they could marry. Mary was a swimmer, a golfer, a gardener, a dancer, a sailor, a walker, and she played cards and table games. She loved Christmas decorations, and said if you sat down in her holiday home, she would put a bow on you! She was also very proud of her very small feet, wearing little 5 1/2 narrow shoes!

Mary loved her city of Chicago and there she married William "Bill" Conlon Byers. Mary and Bill were active members of the Long Lake Yacht Club and looked forward to annually presenting the William C. Byers Trophies at Sunday races. Mary is survived by her nephew William de Talance of Paris. Bill preceded Mary in death in 1988.

Mrs. Byers was born in Cherokee, Oklahoma like her brother, Denver Bruce of Oregon, the third child of James Franklin Frack and Iva Mulvina Bruce. Mrs. Byers frequently visited the Harrison Caldwell farm and ranch in Panhandle, Texas to visit with her sister, Addie Mellett Bruce Caldwell.

Mrs. Byers is survived by three nephews: James Michael Caldwell of Mud Flap Road, Kentucky, Paul Albert Caldwell of Midlothian, Texas, Rex David Caldwell of Lubbock, Texas, and four nieces: Judy Ann Caldwell Copeland Ashcroft of Round Rock, Texas, Jill Loree Caldwell Robison of Lubbock, Texas, Janet Sue Caldwell Cotton of Littlefield, Texas, and, Jeri Lynn Caldwell Cramond of Little Hampton, South Australia, Australia, and 15 great nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Byers requested memorials to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Mrs. Byers asked that this poem be read at her services.

Always in my Heart

Picture me as I was, full of life and love.

I'm watching from above, and I know how much you miss me.

And I miss you, too.

It was my time to leave just as each of us will do

Although not in your arms, I'm always in your heart.

The precious love we shared means we're never far apart.