Leo Elyea and Susan Bye-Elyea

    Leo Elyea and Susan Bye-Elyea both passed away earlier in April 2022, as a result of a car crash in Backus, MN. Prior to their marriage they both had full lives. Leo’s career in the Airforce took him around the world. When he retired, he returned to Backus where he had grown up. Susan had taught 33 years at Cooper High School. She was vice president of Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers, and voted “Favorite Teacher” by students for 21 years. After being widowed she spent much of her time in Hackensack and Backus at the lake where she met Leo.

     Leo and Sue were together over 30 years and active in the Backus and Hackensack Legion Posts doing parades and poppies among other things, WeFest, fundraising for Cass County 4-H, participating in the county fair, reading, fishing, gardening, golfing, coffee club, entertaining and traveling south for the winter and many great trips to Canada. They had Gopher Football tickets for over 30 yrs. They cared for veterans in area nursing homes, and delivered cookies at Christmas throughout the community for over two decades, one year making 36 different kinds of cookies for the trays. 

   Celebration of Life on May 22, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Church of the Nazarene in Backus. Interment at the Backus Cemetery with military honors, lunch at the Backus Legion. Memorials can be sent to the Backus or Hackensack Legion and will be used to support their passions within the communities.