Marie Loyola "Loy" Sawyer • 1923 - 2009

Marie Loyola "Loy" Sawyer, 85, Minot, passed away Saturday, March 21, 2009.

Loy DeVany was born November 23, 1923, to Daniel and M. Julia (McDonell) DeVany in Devils Lake, ND. She was raised on a farm west of Devils Lake, and graduated from Devils Lake Central High School in 1941. Loy graduated as a Registered Nurse from Cook County School of Nursing, Chicago, IL, in 1947, and worked there for 6 years. In 1953, she returned to Devils Lake and worked at the Devils Lake General Hospital and Devils Lake Region Clinic for the next 3 years.

On September 8, 1956, Loy married Lloyd Sawyer in Devils Lake, ND. They made their home in Minot, where Loy worked in the Sears Catalog department from 1975-1988, and for Ben Franklin as a photo framer and clerk from 1988-1992.

Loy was a member of the Illinois State Board of Nursing, the ND State Board of Nursing, Little Flower Catholic Church, and Group 14 Confraternity. She was an accomplished seamstress and long time volunteer for the American Heart Association. She also enjoyed bowling, golfing, cross-country skiing, traveling, and dancing.

Those who shared Loy's life were: her husband of 52 years, Lloyd, Minot; daughters, Erica Walker, Ankeny, IA; Carol (Jeff) Belieu, Martensdale, IA; Ellen (Bill) Cox, Yonges Island, SC; Jane (Victor) Valderrama, Allen, TX; 10 grandchildren, Drew Walker; Jacob, Alexandra, and Paige Valderrama; Jessica and James Cox; Sean, Tiffany, Kaitlyn and Joshua Belieu; 3 sisters, Catherine Field, Westminster, CO; Genevieve Kaiser, Pensacola, FL; Colette Lindroth, Caldwell, NJ; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Loy was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Marjorie Cunningham; one brother, Donald DeVany; and her son-in-law, Thomas Walker.

Memorials may be made to Parkinson's Foundation Research or Trinity Hospice.

Visitation: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 from Noon until 5:00 pm at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot

Vigil Prayer Service: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 7:00 pm, Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot

Mass of Christian Burial: Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 11:00 am, Little Flower Catholic Church, Minot

Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot

Celebrant of the Liturgies: Father Paul Cervinski

Music
Little Flower Music Ministry by Jeanne Artz and John Leonard
“Where Ever You Go”
“Amazing Grace”
“Loving and Forgiving”
“How Great Thou Art”
“Saints Of God”
“On Eagles Wings”

Honorary Bearers: Sean Belieu, Joshua Belieu, Bill Cox, Jacob Valderrama

Active Bearers: Jeff Belieu, Victor Valderrama, James Cox,  Drew Walker

Immediately following the funeral mass there will be lunch and fellowship in the school gymnasium, located across the alleyway of the church.

The burial will take place at a later time in the spring of 2009.  

The Sawyer family would like to thank everyone for the many acts of kindness shown to them during this difficult time. Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten. May God bless the memory of Loy.

To sign the online guest register for Loy
To view the online guest register for Loy

To view the outside of Loy's folder
To view the inside of Loy's folder

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