Victoria Lynn "Vicki" Byers

Woodland Hills Funeral Home 507-387-5504

Victoria L. “Vicki” Byers, age 74 of Mankato, passed away on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at her home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 10 A.M. at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Mankato, with Fr. Kevin Stolt IVE, Celebrant. A time of lunch and fellowship will follow services at the church. Interment will be in Woodland Hills Memorial Park in Mankato.      

Visitation will be on Saturday morning for one hour prior to services at church. In lieu of flowers memorials preferred. Woodland Hills Funeral Home of Mankato is handling arrangements.

Vicki was born on March 20, 1948, in Fairmont, MN, to Byrl Ray and Jeanne Marie (Burns) West and was raised primarily in Fairmont. She graduated from Fairmont High School and advanced her education at Minnesota State University (Mankato).  She married Thomas G. Manderfeld in 1968, a new baby Amy Sue (Manderfeld) Kosbab was born, four months later she became a Gold Star Wife when Tom died in action in Viet Nam.  She remarried Stephen B. Byers in 1973.

Vicki, Amy and Steve resided in Fairmont, MN, St. Louis, MO, Columbia, SC and retired in Mankato, MN to be close to family.  They traveled extensively throughout their marriage and Vicki walked the Great Wall of China, strolled the Champs-Élysées in Paris, climbed pyramids in Mexico, visited temples in Japan, rode on the Orient Express to Budapest and the Glacier Express in Switzerland, and fell in love with Prague, Czech Republic and her friends there.

She met, traveled and entertained friends and delegations of foreign visitors; and hosted hundreds of elegant dinners.  People from around the world were immediately attracted by her beauty and grace; her smile and warmth were disarming. She made fast friends and continued to communicate with them after retiring.

Vicki’s highest priority was always her family.  Her daughter Amy and her grandchildren were first in her heart and mind.  She made time with them special and they all cherish the memories of times together.

Vicki was raised in the Catholic faith and practiced her faith with a strong conviction and did not waver.  She had many interests and enjoyed travel, sewing, decorating, gardening, cooking, and painting.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Stephen; her daughter, Amy Sue (Byers) Kosbab (Daniel Picken), of Mankato; three grandchildren, Matthew (Kelsey) Kosbab of Rapid City, SD, Hannah Kosbab (Christopher Bliesmer) of Aitkin, MN, and Laura Kosbab of Mankato; one great-granddaughter, Ava Bliesmer; two brothers, Randall R. West of Lodi, CA and Timothy West of St. Peter, MN; and one sister, Susan Silker of Duluth, MN.

She was preceded in death by her parents Byrl and Jeanne West and parents-in-law Robert and Pauline Byers, and sister-in-laws Linda Toner and Pamela Kearney of Mankato, MN.

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