Ida Alice Bye

Ida Alice (Anderson) Bye was born May 1, 1923 to Ole and Isabel (Koester) Anderson on the family farm near Comstock, MN. She attended Koester School and graduated from Comstock High School in 1941. She was baptized and confirmed at Comstock Lutheran Church where she married William E. Bye on Nov. 29, 1947. They lived and farmed at the Bye family farm near Hickson.

She began her career at Standard Oil Co. in Moorhead and later became a teller for First National Bank in Fargo staying through name changes and location moves, retiring after 30 years of service from Wells Fargo Bank. She was popular at the drive-up window where she handed out lifesavers. She was Mrs. Santa Claus at Christmas and the best information/hostess a bank ever had, but her nieces and nephews remember her best for the treat of a White Drug “Jigger” during her coffee break.

Ida was an active member of Hickson Lutheran Church, was secretary and promoter of the Lower Wild Rice Red River Cemetery Association for 20 years, a member of the Eagles Auxiliary, especially enjoying Saturday night dancing, being with her many friends and always ready to “go”. She loved family gatherings and never forgot a birthday, Christmas or other occasions. She gifted many $2 bills, pairs of pajamas and was noted for her “fresh” cakes, sugar cookies, lemon bars and kids’ favorite--Ida bars (alias scotcheroos).

Bill and Ida retired from farming in June 1994 and moved to condo living in Fargo. Bill passed away in 1996. Ida entered Elim Care, Fargo in May of 2015 where she remained until her death on October 23, 2017 at 94 years of age.

She is survived by nieces, Phyllis (Nick) Smilonich and Jeanne (Humberto) Rodriguez of Moorhead, Mary Jean (Larry) Bommersbach of Dilworth and Sharol Shearer of Naperville, IL; nephews, Dennis Anderson of Fargo, Stephen (Mary) Anderson of Barnesville, Donald (Dee) Anderson of Downers Grove, IL and Arlen Anderson of Naperville, IL; nieces-in-law, Kirsten Anderson of Barnesville and Daria Anderson of Perham, as well as great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Leonard (Alice) Anderson, Jalmer (Alice) Anderson and Alvin (Eileen) Anderson; nephews, Thomas Anderson and Bryce Anderson and great nieces, Jill (Smilonich) Miller and Jessica Anderson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Hickson Lutheran Church or Lower Wild Rice Red River Cemetery Association.