Nikoline Adell

TRAVERSE CITY — Nikoline Adell Bye, born Jan. 23, 1912, in Elberta, died peacefully on Feb. 20, 2012, one month after celebrating her 100th birthday with many family members.At the age of 16, Nikoline graduated from Traverse City Central High School. She went on to Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant (then Central Michigan Normal), graduating at the age of 20 as a mathematics teacher. Her first teaching position was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Ewen, where she spent two years. Next she taught in Berkley, Mich., and then in Mt. Pleasant at the junior high school until she joined the faculty at Central for the next 30 years as a mathematics professor. There are hundreds of elementary teachers in Michigan and all over the country who were trained by her in the art of teaching math by taking her 151 and 152 courses. Having the last name of "Bye" and always having to sit in the front row, she alphabetized her students from "Z" to "A" instead. She always loved teaching, especially working with the returning veterans who came to Central on the GI Bill.Retirement gave her the opportunity for new adventures. While living in Garden Grove, Calif., with her sister, she took on the task of teaching English as a second language to adults. She also coordinated that program for several years. Her interests blossomed and she took the opportunity to travel as well, with several memorable trips to Norway, the land where her father was born, to visit her namesake Nikoline. She was forever thankful for her wonderful eyesight as it gave her the ability to do one of her favorite things — counted cross stitch. Many completed scenes hang framed in the homes of her family members and are true works of art. She was never without either a needle in her hand for cross stitch or a pencil to work on the latest crossword puzzle.She loved baseball, especially the Detroit Tigers, and played bridge extremely well ... albeit slowly! Some of her other loves were pizza, macaroni and cheese, and flowers (though not yellow ones!).After living in California, Nikoline moved with her sister to Sheboygan, Wis., to be near her niece and family. Later they moved to Mesa and then Fountain Hills, Ariz. Seven years ago she moved back 'home' to Traverse City to be near her brother's family and became a resident of Glen Eagle Retirement complex. Nikoline was preceded in death by her father, Carl Bye; her mother, Laura LaZada Bye Miller; her brother, Lorentz Bye and wife, Eileen; her sister, Margaret Bye Delanty and husband, John; a niece, Mary Bye Overlie; and a nephew, Dick Delanty.She is survived by nieces and nephews, Barbara Bye Cox, Richard Bye, Nikoline Bye Elhart, Cynthia Bye Flynn, Pat Delanty, Jane Delanty Robinson, Larry Delanty, Bill Delanty and Jim Delanty; as well as many great and great-great-nieces and nephews. She will be missed by all, as she was always an important part of their lives — known as the 'book' aunt as that was her favorite gift to give them as children. Memorial services will be held at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, at 11 a.m., with visitation one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Becky Chamberlain will officiate.Kindly share your memories with the family on their online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.

Nikoline Adell

January 23, 1912