The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

Gladys Bye, died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls.

She was born Dec. 4, 1927, in Elizabeth, the daughter of Frank Persey and Ida Steib Persey.

Gladys attended school until the eighth grade at a rural country school north of Elizabeth.

On June 12, 1951, she married Harold Arthur Bye at her family home in Elizabeth. A consummate mother, farmer, and homemaker, Gladys was an excellent baker and cook and enjoyed preparing meals for her family and friends.

Gladys began her career as a waitress at Runnigan’s (now Viking) Café. After her marriage to Harold, she became a farmer’s wife. She spent 31 years on the farm milking, plowing, baling, etc., and then retired from farming in 1982.

Gladys then took a job at the Laundry Mat in Fergus Falls, ironing doctors and nurses uniforms early in the morning before going to her second job delivering the newspaper for The Daily Journal for 25 years.

When Gladys could find spare time in her busy schedule, she enjoyed reading the Bible, listening to the radio, gardening, canning, and traveling with Harold to attend threshing shows throughout Minnesota and Iowa.

Gladys is survived by her husband, Harold of Fergus Falls; three children, Duane (Annette) Bye of Fergus Falls, David (Renata) Bye of Sturgeon Lake, and Marilyn (Roger) Mittelstadt of Fergus Falls; four grandchildren, Daniel Bye, Melissa Bye, Adam Bye and Trissica Rodgers; four step-grandchildren, Ashley, Thomas, Trey and Teryn; and four great-grandchildren, Natalie, Levi, MacKenzie and Ayden; and several nephews, nieces and great-nephews and nieces, and great-great-nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her father, Frank Persey; her mother, Ida Steib Persey; two brothers, Eldon Persey and Everett Persey; and a step-granddaughter, Ann Marie Walker.

Visitation: Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the funeral home, and one hour prior to the service at the church

Service: 11 a.m. Monday, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls

Clergy: Rev. Curtis Deterding

Burial: Trinity-Faith Cemetery, Fergus Falls

Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent online at www.olsonfuneralhome.com