Pamela Byers Kearney

Pamela Byers Kearney, age 61, of Mankato, died Monday, November 1, 2004 at her home surrounded by her family.

Funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 5, 2004 at Christ the King Lutheran Church with Rev. John Weston and Rev. Paul Ficzeri officiating. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3-9 p.m. Thursday at Mankato Mortuary and will continue one hour before services at the church on Friday. Memorials are preferred to the Bridges DC Trip Fund of Mankato Area Foundation; Pamela Byers Kearney Presidential Scholarship Fund of MSU-Foundation; First Christian Church; or a charity of the donors choice.

Pamela was born February 20, 1943 to Robert & Pauline (Burns) Byers in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from Mankato High School in 1961. She was a National Merit Scholar, was listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, and graduated magna cum laude from Mankato State University in 1967. She earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota in 1984 and was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma, the National Scholastic Honor Society in the field of Business & Administration.

In 1963 she married and became mother of Judith (Schmidt) Brooks and Brian Schmidt, who are now the parents of grandchildren Alex, Johnathan, Natalie, Jeff and Karen.

Her professional career included the Region Nine Development Commission from 1973 to 1986, ending as Deputy Director. She served in several management positions in Florida in services for the elderly from 1986 to 1991. After returning to Minnesota in 1991, she served as Coordinator for the SAIL (Seniors Agenda for Independent Living) Program in the Minnesota Department of Human Services until 1994.

She married R. Wynn Kearney, Jr. in 1994. Her second generation of children are twin sons, Robert & Rochfort Kearney.

She has served as a volunteer on numerous organizations, including: North Mankato Planning Commission; VINE (Volunteer Interfaith Network Effort) Board of Directors; Mankato Symphony Orchestra. Board; Mankato Public Schools Choice School Committee, Chair; Educare Board of Directors, Chair; Bridges Community School Site Council; Mankato Area Foundation Board of Directors; Dr. W. C. Stillwell Foundation Board of Directors; Greater Mankato United Way Women's Leadership Circle; and the Wynn & Pamela Kearney Foundation, President.

She has received various awards and honors for her services: Minnesota Social Service Association, Distinguished Community Service Award, 1985; Philanthropist of the Year, Minnesota State University Foundation, 2002; recently named recipient of the Minnesota State University Distinguished Alumni Harold J. Fitterer Award for 2004-2005 for service to MSU and the Mankato community.

Survivors include her husband, R. Wynn Kearney, Jr. of Mankato; four children, Robert and Rochfort Kearney at home in Mankato, Judi Brooks and husband, John of North Mankato, Brian Schmidt and wife, Sandra of Dearborn, Michigan; five grandchildren, Alexander and Johnathan Brooks, Natalie Cantalino, Jeff and Karen Brooks; parents, Pauline and Robert Byers of Skyline; four siblings, Linda Toner and husband, Robert of Houston, Texas, Jerry Byers of North Mankato, Joan Watanabe and husband, Donald of Honolulu, Hawaii, Stephen Byers and wife, Vicki of Fairmont; aunts and uncles, John Burns of Camdenton, Missouri, Barbara Custer and Nora Byers both of Lindale, Texas, Hazel Burns of Ankeny, Iowa; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and in-laws. She was preceded in death by her grandparents.