Sylvia Biever

Sylvia was born September 17, 1917, in Albin Township, Brown County, Minnesota, to Charles and Anna (Tande) Bernloehr on their family farm. She attended District 76 rural grade school, and St. James High School, graduating in 1936. Following graduation, Sylvia worked for the Conservation Department in St. James, and later as a secretary for W.O. Moll Plumbing Company in New Ulm. She married her first husband, Aelred Schotzko, on November 19, 1942. Their daughter, Diane, was born in 1944 in New Ulm, where Aelred attended Mankato State College on the GI Bill. After Aelred graduated with a teaching degree, they moved to Tyler, Minnesota, where Al taught Industrial Arts and Sylvia was a homemaker. Their other three children were born during their stay in Tyler, Craig in 1947, Ann in 1951, and Kevin in 1955. Diane passed away in 1955, and Aelred passed away in 1968. Sylvia later worked as an optometric assistant in Tyler until 1979, when she married Marvin (Bud) Biever. Marvin passed away in 2005. Sylvia was a longtime member of St. Dionysius Catholic Church in Tyler. In 2006, Sylvia moved to Hopkins, MN, where she lived at St. Therese Southwest apartments until October, 2014 when she moved to Augustana Chapel View Care Center.
Music was always a big part of Sylvia’s life. At an early age she learned to play the saxophone, and would perform with her sisters at church events, in the Comfrey City Band, and later in the St. James High School band. As an adult she enjoyed dancing to Big Band music at area venues.
Throughout her life, Sylvia loved needlecrafts. She was well known for her sewing, crocheting, knitting, and especially her Norwegian Hardanger embroidery. Even in her 90s, she continued to produce lovely needlework, giving many pieces to family and friends. She also enjoyed making lefse, genealogy research, fishing, card games, puzzles, and keeping up with friends and family near and far.
Sylvia is survived by her three children: Craig (Rochelle) Schotzko of Sioux Falls, SD; Ann (Larry) Wobig of Plymouth, MN; and Kevin (Pam) Schotzko of Faribault, MN; six grandchildren: Stefanie Schotzko of Sioux Falls, SD; Stacy (Daniel) Helmbrecht of Sioux Falls, SD; Cortney (Luke) Olson of St. Louis Park, MN; Heather (Spencer) Hagen, of St. Louis Park, MN; Adam (Shayla) Schotzko, of St. Louis Park, MN; and Leslie (Trevor) Eiler, of Seattle, WA; along with five great-grandchildren: Kendra and Lauren Helmbrecht, Laney and Miles Olson, and Emmett Hagen. She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Diane, husbands Aelred and Marvin, along with her eight siblings: Johnny, Ellen, Henry, Sydney, Cora, Arthur, Ernest and Grace.
Blessed be her memory.