Lauralea Fornwalt Byers Obituary (1926 - 2014)

Lauralea Fornwalt Byers, 88, of Decatur passed away on Thursday (Dec. 11, 2014) at Decatur Memorial Hospital. A service to celebrate Lauralea's life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday (Dec. 16, 2014) at Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday (Dec. 15). She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Macon County Memorial Park, Harristown, IL. Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society. Lauralea was born on August 9, 1926 a few miles west of Maroa, IL the daughter of Guy and Flora Bell (Smith) Fornwalt. She married David Lee Byers, Sr. on August 2, 1944. She worked making arms during WW II and was a secretary at Mueller's and attended Brown's business school, but loved her primary profession as homemaker. She later volunteered locally in the gift shop at St. Mary's. She was a member of a local bridge club and the Macon County Genealogical Society. Lauralea studied painting with Marge Pettypool, a local artist, and produced closed to 50 paintings. She loved music and played the piano. She loved to garden and watching hummingbirds. She spent lots of time reading many books and magazines. Surviving are her children; son: David Lee Byers, Jr. (wife Ann Hedstrom-Byers) of Mahomet, IL; daughter: Beverly Ann Byers Van Rheeden (husband Russell) of Decatur, IL; four grandchildren: Carissa Byers Ulick (husband John) of Champaign, IL; Andrew Van Rheeden, Jason Van Rheeden and Sarah Van Rheeden, MA of Decatur; four great-grandchildren: Keira and Cade Ulick; Kendrick and Corbin Franklin; sisters: Nellie and Lila Fornwalt of Forsyth, IL; brother: Donald Fornwalt of Glendale, AZ; several nieces and nephews from the Byers and Fornwalt families survive as well. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, five brothers (Neale, David, Ernest, Ralph and Phillip), one sister (Charlena Liming) and her dearest friend Florence Byers. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.dawson-wikoff.com.