Byron "By" Thomas Bekiares passed away peacefully on February 10, 2024 in Lincolnwood, Illinois. He was born to Thomas Christ and Lillian Carlson Bekiares on July 27, 1939 in Chicago. Byron graduated from North Park Academy, class of 1957, and from the University of Illinois in 1961.

Byron and his brother Wayne married two sisters, Christine and Susan Breitbarth, in 1967. Together, Christine and Byron raised two children, Nell and Tyrone ("Ty"), in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There Byron enjoyed canoeing the waters of the BWCA with students ("Operation: Adventure"), sailing around Lake Harriet, and musing over topics of history, language, and religion amongst friends.

Byron started his career teaching Latin at University High School in Champaign, Illinois where he coauthored a comic-inspired Latin textbook ("Latin Logos") with Dr. Richard Scanlan. He went on to teach Latin and television production ("WJAG-TV") at Thomas Jefferson High School in Bloomington, Minnesota where he also served as Media Director. There he established himself as a pioneer of educational technology: in the 1970s, Byron successfully launched a decades-long program providing remote classroom instruction via two-way interactive television.

Byron's love for art, boating, and dancing followed him through life: upon retiring to Champaign, he carved a cadre of wooden animal friends, patrolled the lakes of Illinois with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and danced with the Illini Folk Dance Society for as long as his body and mind would allow.

By has 2 grandchildren, David and Lucy Bekiares, whom he loved to chase around anywhere and everywhere. His kind, jovial nature and showmanship will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

The family welcomes donations to the Alzheimer's Association in his memory.