Frances Bye, formerly of Bellmore and Merrick, dies at 93

Frances Rosalie Bye, who worked for Security National Bank and Chemical Bank, raised four children and was dedicated to her Lutheran faith, died April 17 of natural causes. She was 93.

Frances (née Wilzback) and her husband, Victor, lived in Bellmore in the middle of the 20th century and in Merrick in the last quarter of the century. Their son, also Victor, grew up in Bellmore. She had three children from a previous marriage — Frances, Carol, and Daniel Rooney — who grew up in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Born on Nov. 16, 1921, in Lynbrook, Frances attended school in Lynbrook and West Hurley, N.Y., near Woodstock, where she was an able high school tennis player and track runner. She married at 18 and was a homemaker for many years, raising three children with her first husband in New York City. In 1956, Frances remarried to Victor Bye and moved to Bellmore. The couple had one son.

In the late 1960s, Frances went to work for Security National Bank, which in 1975 became Chemical Bank. Two years later the Byes moved to Merrick. Frances was a devoted member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Merrick and Grace Lutheran Church in Bellmore, serving as church secretary at the latter.

Frances retired from Chemical Bank and in 1993 moved to Sun City Center, Fla., though she continued to work part-time at Bealls Department Store until she was 87. In Florida, she made many new friends and attended Calvary Lutheran Church.

She is predeceased by her husband; parents, Frances and Conrad Wilzback; and brother, Conrad Wilzback. She is survived by her daughters, Frances Murphy of Staten Island and Carol Newcomb of Apollo Beach, Fla.; sons, Daniel Rooney of Largo, Fla. and Victor Bye of Saratoga Springs; sister, Gladys Marino of Hollywood, Fla.; 12 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren. Until recently, she never forgot a family member’s birthday, according to her son, Victor.

“Frances lived her life according to her values of devotion to God, family, honesty and hard work,” Victor wrote in a statement.

Memorial services took place on May 23 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Apollo Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to Calvary Lutheran or LifePath Hospice in Temple Terrace, Fla.