Claire Byl's Obituary
Clareen (Claire) Joyce Byl age 65, of Centerville, Iowa, passed into the arms of her Heavenly Father on October 4th, 2016 at Mercy Hospice in Johnston, Iowa with her family by her side, following a courageous battle with cancer.
Claire was born on April 7th, 1951 in Aplington, Iowa, the daughter of Mervin and Verna Best. She was raised on the family farm alongside her brother Ron. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelors of Arts with a major in Library Science in 1973 and received her Masters of Science degree in Education in Effective Teaching from Drake University in 1993. She was a library assistant at the University of Tennessee in Nashville from 1973 to 1976 and taught private piano lessons from 1982 to 1985, but began her teaching career in 1985 with the Centerville Community School District (CCSD) at Lakeview Elementary School and continued until her retirement as the Senior Librarian of the CCSD K-12 in May of 2014.
Her smile was contagious and she would light up the room when she walked in. She loved every student that passed through her doors. Claire especially enjoyed dressing up as Cat in the Hat every year for Dr. Suess birthday for her students and would also instruct the school to "Drop everything and read!"
Always an avid lover of music, Claire sang in the Friends in Christ in the late 1990s, the First United Methodist Church Praise Team, as well as the church choir when she was able to.
Claire later met and shared her life with Don Zillman for nearly 24 years. Don was a great comfort and caregiver for Claire throughout her journey with cancer.
She is survived by her mother, Verna Best of Aplington; her brother Ron (Terri) Best of Aplington; her partner Don Zillman of Richland, IA; sons Scott (Melody) Byl of Baraboo, WI; Kevin (Katrina) Byl of Cedarburg, WI; Jeremy (Hilary Cameron) Byl of Greenwood, MO; and seven grandchildren Katrina (Ben) Cripps, Brittany, Darren, Michael, and Owen Byl, Sydney Cameron, and a grandson due in February. Also surviving is her beloved dog Nibbles of 15 years.
She was preceded in death by her father, Mervin Best.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, October 8, 2016 at Lange Funeral Home in Centerville, Iowa with Reverend Jeremy McElvain officiating with a reception to celebrate the life of Claire Byl following the service at Manhattan Steakhouse. A visitation will be held on Friday, October 7, 2016 at Lange Funeral Home, with family present from 6 to 8 PM. There will be a committal service held Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 2 PM in Aplington, IA at Pleasant View Cemetery. Memorials have been established to either the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or to The American Cancer Society, and may be mailed to the Lange Funeral Home, 1900 South 18th Street Centerville, IA 52544. Condolences may be shared online at www.langefh.com.
Visitation
2016-10-07 18:00:00
20:00:00
Lange Funeral Home & Crematory
1900 South 18th St
Centerville
IA
52544
Funeral Service
2016-10-08 14:00:00
Lange Funeral Home & Crematory
1900 South 18th St
Centerville
IA
52544
Private Committal
Pleasant View Cemetery-Aplington, Iowa
1900 South 18th St
Centerville
IA
52544
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