Byrne Tetley Erb

BAR HARBOR - Byrne Tetley Erb, 93, lifelong learner and educator who loved her family and friends passed away on July 11th at Birch Bay Village, Bar Harbor, Maine after a long and meaningful life. Byrne was born on February 25, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio to Glenford Andrew Tetley and Mary Eleanor Byrne. She spent much of her childhood in Pittsburgh, PA.

While attending Penn State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics, Byrne met J. William (Bill) Erb whom she married in June of 1952. Following graduation, they moved to Palmyra, PA where they raised a family of five children. During their earliest years, Byrne was a loving and dedicated homemaker. In 1968 she accepted a teaching position at Palmyra Area Schools, where she became a Home Economics teacher for over 25 years where she created meaningful connections with her students. During that time, Byrne received her Master of Science degree from Temple University before retiring in 1993.

Byrne had a strong love and commitment to the community and was involved in various civic organizations. She was an avid swimmer, having learned to swim in Lake Erie as a child and went on to become a swimming instructor at the Palmyra Community pool for many years. Byrne loved to garden and was very active in the local Garden Club. She was a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ. Byrne was active in both the Palmyra Junior, then Senior Women’s Clubs where she made one of her most important contributions to the community when she was instrumental in founding Palmyra’s first public library.

Along with her husband Bill, Byrne moved to Maine in 2012 to be closer to family and for the beauty of the area. Byrne continued her love of learning through classes at Acadia Senior College in Bar Harbor. Following Bill’s death in 2015, Byrne stayed in Bar Harbor at Birch Bay Village where she developed deep friendships with both residents and staff.

Byrne is survived by her five children: Scott (Mary) Erb of Winston-Salem, NC; Jim (Carolyn) Erb of Millsboro, DE; Chris Erb of Taos, NM; Sue (Paul) Vita of The Woodlands, Texas; and Beth (Wythe) Ingebritson of Bar Harbor, ME. She had nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren and three nieces. Byrne was pre-deceased by her parents, husband Bill Erb, sister Shirley Leonard and brother Glen Tetley.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Thursday September 19th at 2:00 PM at Buse Funeral Home in Palmyra, PA. Following the service, the family will attend a private burial at Gravel Hill Cemetery. A reception for family and friends will be held at the Londonderry Inn, 2764 Horseshoe Pike (Rt 322) in Campbelltown beginning at 3:30 PM.

Anyone interested in making a charitable donation in Byrne’s memory, may want to consider the following organizations:

PALMYRA PUBLIC LIBRARY: (palmyra.lclibs.org)

FOUR DIAMONDS: Childhood cancer research thru Penn State Children’s Health Center: (fourdiamonds.org)

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