F. Dianna (Hale) Bye, 71, passed away suddenly in her home Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021.
Born to Charles Franklin “Frank” Hale and Norma (née Greene) Hale on March 19, 1949, in Madisonville, Ky., Dianna graduated from La Porte High School in 1967. She then put herself through nursing school at Ivy Tech Community College to become an LPN at La Porte Hospital, where she served in multiple departments. As well as the hospital setting, Dianna worked in many area nursing homes throughout the late 1960s and 1970s.
She married Robert “Bob” E. Bye of Union Mills, Ind., on Nov. 30, 1974, and moved to their family farm in Union Mills/Hanna, Ind.
Dianna was an avid lover of genealogy, periodicals, puzzles, gardening, baking, crafting, sewing, art, and animals. She loved garage sales, flea markets, birds and cats, and was deeply spiritual, involved in many different churches and area programs for the poor, children, animals and elderly. Dianna was greatly involved in genealogical research for her own family and her husband’s family. She was a Daughter of the American Revolution and a member of the Indiana Genealogical Society and Indiana Society for Families of the Civil War.
She returned to nursing and the medical field in 1995, working first with developmentally disabled children through the South Central School Corporation, where she had previously taught elementary students reading as a PTA volunteer, then returning to La Porte Hospital. Dianna spent her last 16 years of work in the Maternity and Obstetrics Department at the hospital, retiring in 2014.
The same year of her retirement, her husband of 40 years, Bob, passed away and she moved back to La Porte. Dianna and her beloved rescue dog, Trixie, spent much time over these last few years with a tight group of friends who met at the City of La Porte Dog Park – her fellow hospital nursing retirees; neighbors; best friend, Greg; family through marriage Beth Murray and Dan Zeilbeck; children; and grandchildren.
Dianna is survived by her daughter, Robann (Wendell) Porter of Alpine, Utah; son, Brad (Jennifer) Bye of Hanna; daughter, Joy (Andrew) Bye-Zeilbeck of La Porte; 6 grandchildren, Danni, Johnny, Talmage and Bobbi Porter, all of Alpine, Kate Bye of Hanna, and Zoë Bye of La Porte; sister, Charlene Cantrell; 2 nephews and great-nephews, Brian, Darrin (Kim), Dawson and Caleb Burger, all of Florida; closest friends and confidants, Greg and Lori Charlson; and her dog, Trixie.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles “Frank” and Norma Hale, and her husband, Robert “Bob” Bye.
Cremation has taken place with Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will take place for family and friends this spring, with details to be announced at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the La Porte County Small Animal Shelter, 2855 W. Ind. 2, La Porte, Ind. 46350.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.cutlercares.com.