Karon Bye passed away early in the morning of Sept. 30, 2013.
She was born March 2, 1947, in Okema, Okla. Her family moved to Mesa, Ariz., where she grew up and attended Mesa High School, class of 1965. She was married to Harry Walker in September 1964, and they had three children, Shawn, Scott and Kelly. During their 12-year marriage, they lived in Mesa, Estes Park, Colo., and Spokane, Wash. She remarried to Norm Bye while still living in Spokane. In 1978, they moved to Hailey, Idaho. They later divorced, but Karon stayed in Hailey through 1997. This was the place she always felt most at home. It’s where she made family from friends, mentored many kids and touched so many lives. Leaving Hailey in 1997 was quite difficult for her, but she had fallen quite ill and needed to move to Kelly’s home in Albuquerque, N.M.
In 2000, she and Kelly returned to Idaho to live in Nampa, where she would spend the rest of her life. She suffered from lupus, and in the end, congestive heart failure as well. Her last days were spent at home, surrounded by family and a lot of love.
She is survived by her mother, Neva Clark; four sisters; her children, Shawn Walker and his wife, Pamela, with their children, Wyatt and Violet, Scott Walker and his wife, Lu, and Kelly Walker and her children, Allee, Kneesaa, Stacee, Cami, Tiffany, Cordia, Kassidy, Grace, William and Andrew. She also had six great-grandchildren.
Services and a celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 5, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 8 S. Midland Blvd. in Nampa, Idaho. In lieu of flowers, Karon asked that donations be sent to Kelly Walker for the Angel Retreat at 1019 W Teton, Nampa, ID 83686. Arrangements are being provided by Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa, 208-467-7300.
