Welcome~ We appreciate your presence here and any recollections, shared stories and love. Peruse photos too. Please pass this link on to anyone who knows the Great Edrea Marie Bye: send links in email or social media, tell your coworkers if you worked with my Mom, call out Edrea is Love. Edrea is currently residing in Toledo, Washington.
Edrea was born in Bozeman, Montana, on March 23, 1949, to parents Mary Krall Bye and Edward Andrew Bye. Edrea (nicknamed Eddy/Eddie or Edre) was their second child, following their son Edward Oscar Bye (lovingly married to Sue Bye). Soon the family moved to Olympia, Washington and made their home at 2703 Friendly Grove Road. The Krall-Bye family frequently visited Edrea's maternal grandmother (Baba) on Mt. Pleasant, Cowlitz County, Washington. Mary Krall was one of 9 children so Mom has a large extended family; the cousins and family met at Baba's Mt. Pleasant home, with much gaiety and frivolity!
In 1967 Edrea graduated from Oly High School. In 1969 Edrea and Bubba Larry Peterson were married with a daughter, Michelle Marie Peterson, born the next year. Edrea loved being a mom, my Mom. Edrea, her mom (Mary) and myself are each Aries and we three shared a feisty and sweet relationship with big love. Most of Edrea's life was in Olympia, other than working in Portland for nearly a decade and graduating from Portland State University with her MSW. Edrea also attended CWU, UW and TESC for undergrad. She has enjoyed a career for several decades helping people with psychiatric needs. This work was an excellent fit to satisfy her lifelong curiosity with the human psyche, and offered Eddy a chance to share her wisdom and heart with the many teams she worked with and the individual patients she assisted.
Edrea loved her home that she cared for for forty years on Capitol Way in Olympia and it is remarkable that she was able to let it go, selling it last summer, to a young family, without remorse. (In addition, Mom decided to sell this home prior to her uterine/endometrial cancer diagnosis.) Gardening was a favorite past-time. Friendships mean the world and Eddy invested in maintaining many lifelong connections. Eddy loved to read.... in the garden or in the bathtub.... and in her bed. Road trips were a fun adventure, often to travel to friends and family. Since 1978 Mom also has had 5-acres of undeveloped property out Waddell Creek Road where she has treasured spending time "out there in (my) woods".
Mom met a dear man, Curtis Clifford, in 2016, who lives in Toledo, Washington. They courted one another for a year before they each decided to retire and set sail into their later years together. Un*@#%^fortunately Mom was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Soon after, surgery and chemotherapy followed, with some complications. Edrea was deemed cancer-free and rejoiced. Curtis and Edrea traveled to Mexico and China in 2018 and had taken a couple road trips to sunny locales in the year prior. In December of 2018 we learned the cancer had metastasized. Two chemo treatments were completed yet Mom is now failing-with minimal pain or difficulty. Edrea is peacefully completing the end of her journey with hospice care in Curtis' home in Toledo.
We certainly all want more time together with this big-hearted beautiful soul however Edrea has said, from day one, "I have had a great life...grateful for so many things and rich friendships....no one gets out alive." Mom's grace and acceptance is astounding. She is sweet as a buttercup in my book. In the end, love is love is love. Edrea has touched so many people and will eventually continue to do so from afar.
