Gail Byre

Gail Byre, 80, of Mason City passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday, January 18, 2025. Per Gail’s wishes a graveside service will be held on Monday January 27,2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Riverview Cemetery, Chamberlain, SD with pastor Jim Oleson officiating. A luncheon will be held after the graveside service at Zion Lutheran Church in Chamberlain. 

Gail was born on March 30, 1944, to Charles and Evelyn (Bartholow) Bingen in Presho, SD. Gail attended the Chamberlain schools through the 5th grade and then attended Reliance schools until graduation from Reliance High School in 1962. 

In high school, Gail was on the cheer squad and was quite the baton twirler. During the years she was in school she also learned to play the coronet, piano, and accordian. Shortly after graduation she married Dale Byre on June 9th 1962 at the Lutheran Church in Chamberlain, SD. 

Dale and Gail ranched until 1974, they then started a few businesses while living in the areas of Gregory and Vermillion South Dakota. In 1982 she briefly returned to school and attended the National School of Business in Rapid City, SD. From there they lived in Scottsbluff, NE until October 1985. While in Scottsbluff Gail opened an optical shop on Main Street, and then later did secretarial work for a local publication known as The Business Farmer. They then moved to Mason City, IA where she worked as an office manager at First Christian Church until 1990, and then she did similar work at NIACC until 2000. Gail then worked at Clear Channel Radio until 2006, she then worked at Mason City Services until she retired in 2012.

Gail enjoyed travel while still living with her parents. Her father built a home- made RV from a Studebaker truck and they covered most of the US in it. She greatly enjoyed going through all the family photos and scrapbooking with them. She was very well read and frequently won games of Trivial Pursuit. She enjoyed sharing stories about the “old days” and could regale her sons and grandsons for hours with her life’s adventurous tales. She liked to go fishing when the opportunity came up, from catching bullheads on relative’s stock ponds, smallmouth bass while living in Gregory, to catching perch on a family vacation at Leech Lake Minnesota. She was a fantastic cook and homemaker, and dutiful mother. In her later years when her body could not keep up with her spirit, she was a major FaceBooker, liked going to lunches with her friends, and enjoyed visits from her sons and grandsons. 

Through her adventures with Dale, they became parents of Dale Dean Byre, Jr., Brett, Bryan, and Jesse (wife Holly) of Mason City, IA. Gail lost a stillborn daughter, Laurel Ann, in 1972. 

Gail is survived by sons, Dale Dean Byre Jr. (Ra’Londa) of Lincoln, NE, Jesse (Holly) Byre of Mason City, IA, Brett (Julie) Byre of Green Bay, WI. Grandsons Dillon of Lincoln, NE, and Kasin of Mason City, IA. Brothers Kent, Brother Joel (Kim). And many nieces and nephews. 

Gail was preceded in death by her parents, her infant daughter, husband Dale, son Brett, son Bryan, brother Merle, and brother Randy. 

Memorials, flowers, and cards may be directed towards the family of Gail.