Hilda Byers

Hilda Byers age 103 of Westbrook passed away Sunday, July 29, 2012 at Westbrook Good Samaritan Care Center. 

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Immanuel Baptist Church in Westbrook. 

Visitation is 5:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Westbrook Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday.  Interment is in Westbrook Cemetery.  Stephens Funeral Service – Westbrook Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. 

Hilda Tora Byers, daughter of Mary (Noding) and David Engler Sr. was born March 4, 1909 in Rosehill Township.  She attended country school.  Hilda married Harvey Luverne Byers on January 30, 1929.  To this union one daughter and three sons were born.  They raised a nephew, Francis deFriess.  Hilda and Harvey farmed east of Westbrook until Harvey was killed in a farm accident on November 30, 1959.  Hilda accepted the Lord as her personal Savior in 1940, was baptized, and became a member of Immanuel Baptist Church.  She taught Sunday school and was active in serving her church in many ways.  Hilda and her husband were 4H leaders for many years.  After her husband, Harvey, passed away, Hilda remained on the farm until she bought a home in the east part of Westbrook and moved there in 1962.  She worked as a cook at the Good Samaritan Home, and custodian of Immanuel Baptist Church and Westbrook State Bank.  Her many interests included gardening, canning, sewing, quilting, crocheting, and traveling.  Hilda entered the Westbrook Good Samaritan Home on March 8, 2012, where she lived until she passed away.

Hilda is survived by one daughter, Althea Hechsel of Isanti; three sons, Harris (Nancy), Richard (Patti), and Duane (Lora) Byers, all of Westbrook; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and sisters Pansy Nelson of Austin and Viola Kirchner of Nicollet.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Harvey, nephew Francis deFriess, son-in-law Howard Hechsel, daughter-in-law Maxine, grandson Scott Byers, brothers David and Lawrence, and sisters Agnes Cohrs and Florence Knudson.