Marian Frances Byron

MARIAN FRANCES BYRON, age 95, of Waseca died peacefully at her Oak Terrace Assisted Living apartment in North Mankato, MN on February 22, 2025 with family by her side.

Marian was born on October 4, 1929 to Gertrude (Huntington) and Otto Frederick in Waseca, MN and grew up on the Frederick family farm west of Loon Lake in Waseca with her sister and two brothers. Marian graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1946, then traveled and worked in Kansas City for a short time. She returned to Waseca and married Frank Byron on Wednesday, September 1, 1948 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 

Marian was a gifted homemaker who spent over three decades with Frank on the family farm in St Mary’s Township raising their three children. She had large vegetable and flower gardens and was known for her baking, and love of everything outdoors. There was nothing Marian could not do. She was a talented seamstress, a 4-H leader, and helped her children with a variety of projects and county fair entries. 

When Frank began his career at the Byron Farm Store, Marian began her other career as a bookkeeper and supported the business in many ways. In 1981 when she and Frank moved to their home in Waseca she planted and nurtured flower gardens, learned to golf, joined the women’s weekly league, played cards with a ladies group and continued to be active in her church, the lives of her children and grandchildren. Holidays were a time to celebrate and she carried on with the food and drink traditions she learned from her Frederick family. Marian traveled to Germany, Ireland and many U.S. states with her husband and was a faithful MN Twins and Timberwolves fan. She took every opportunity to visit the Byron family farm checking out the crops and the garden plot that her son would make for her when she could no longer do so. The highlight of Marian’s farm visit would be to ride in the gator down to the creek woods to sit at a favorite space.

Marian and Frank were married for 65 years during which time she demonstrated to all what it meant to be a loving partner until his death in 2013. Throughout her life Marian modeled love of family, hard work and appreciation for those around her. She demonstrated strength and independence long before it was accepted in women and continued this mantra well into her final days. The family extends their sincere appreciation to the staff at Oak Terrace, Mayo Hospice, and St. Croix Hospice for the kind and compassionate care they offered to Marian and her family.

Marian is survived by her daughter, Nancy McLoone of Mankato and son, Mark (Karen) Byron of Waseca; grandchildren, Michael (Katie) McLoone, Katie (Jason) Marsh, Elizabeth (Nate) Dybvig, Maggie (Tom) Dawson, Bridget (Patrick) Deering, Patrick McLoone, Carrie (Jett Hitt) Byron, Andrew (Haley) Byron; great-grandchildren, Delaney, Aidan, Keiran and Cavanaugh McLoone, Brady and Evan Marsh, Daly and Henrik Dybvig, Finley, Haddie and Lachlan Dawson, Sloane and Rowan Deering, Layton and David Byron; sister, Jeanette Byron; sister-in-law, Connie Frederick, and many other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and parents-in-law; husband Frank; daughter Barbara; son-in-law Michael McLoone; brothers Orlyn and Gary Frederick; sisters-in-law Ann Frederick, Jean Byron, Kathleen Bielinski and Sister Michaea Byron; brothers-in-law Robert Byron, Walter Byron and Earl Bielinski.

Mass of Christian Burial for Marian will be at 12:00 PM on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca. Visitation will be held two hours prior to the service at the church. Private family burial will immediately follow at Calvary Cemetery in Waseca. Dsofuneral.com