Francis R. “Pete” Bye
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 30, 2010 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Chisholm, with Rev. Fr. Fred Method celebrating. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the mass at the church on Saturday. Inurnment will be in Chisholm Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements are entrusted to Rupp Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Chisholm.
Francis R. “Pete” Bye, age 91, of Chisholm, died peacefully Monday, October 25, 2010 with his family at his side at Fairview University Medical Clinic- Mesabi in Hibbing. He was born January 25, 1919 in Chisholm to Peter E. and Doris A. (Woods) Bye. He was a 1936 graduate of Chisholm High School and had been a Chisholm resident for most of his life, but also spent time in Greenland, San Antonio, TX and many joyous years in Mexico with his extended family and numerous friends. He was a WWII Veteran having served in the Army, Army-Air Corps and the Navy during his military career and served as the Chief Warrant Officer 4 with the Army Reserve for many years.
Pete was united in marriage on October 29, 1960 in Mazatlan, Mexico to Delia E. Luna. He worked as a special investigator for the MSHA for the Federal Government on a nationwide basis. He was a past President of the National Safety Council and was a founding member of the Junior ROTC program in the Chisholm Schools; past Commander of Press-Lloyd American Post #247 – Chisholm; Knights of Columbus – Chisholm Council #3539, P.P.O. of Elks – Hibbing Lodge #1022; Hibbing-Chisholm Rotary Club; Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ES & GR). Pete loved to travel and was a gourmet cook, and was also an accomplished photographer.
Survivors include his wife – Delia; children – Francis Joseph (Ann) Bye of Oak Grove, MN; Delia “Dede” (Walter) Fitzmaurice of Minneapolis, MN; grandchildren – Owen Fitzmaurice, Nadia Bye and Emilia Bye; sisters – Lorraine Scofield of Hibbing; Merry Ellen Toivola of Nashwauk; numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife – Blanche Franzick; brothers – Peter and Roger Bye; sister – Peggy Chubiz.
