BYER, Elma Louise (Perkins) - b. February 21, 1928 - d. May 17, 2013

[patyrn]

Elma Louise Byer of Lenexa, Kansas passed away May 17, 2013 at the age of 85.  Louise was born on February 21, 1928 in Howard, Kansas to Ralph and Zora (Root) Perkins.

Louise grew up on the Bar P Ranch in the Flint Hills, a place she dearly loved.  She attended a one-room schoolhouse and then went on to graduate from Howard High School and the College of Emporia where she earned a degree in English.

Louise is survived by her brothers, Lynn Perkins and Elvin Perkins; and her children, Gretchen (Jim) Cox, Robin, Jared (Silvia), Jennifer (John) DuBois, and Lispeth (John) Springer.  Her grandchildren, Alphie, Noah, Rhea, Haley, Steano, Leo, Elisa, Theo, Oliver, Aidan, and Maya are left to mourn her passing as is her great-grandson, Judah; her sister-in-law, Lois Perkins; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Gene Byer; her son-in-law, Hal Ettinger (Robin); her brother, Ralph Jr.; and sisters-in-law, Kathryn (Elvin), Phyllis (Ralph Jr.), and Orel (Ralph Jr.).

A celebration of Louise's life will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church, 9400 Pflumm Road, Lenexa, KS 66215.  A reception will follow.

For those wishing to make a donation in Louise's memory, the family suggests the following non-profit organizations:  The Crisis Center of Dodge City, P.O. Box 1173, Dodge City, KS 67801 or The Lewy Body Demnentia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road SW, Llburn, GA 30047 or online http://www.lbda.org/go/donate.

(published in the Prairie Star 5/22/2013)