In remembrance of Athletic Director Robin Bye, students and staff have picked a word to describe him, or the impact that he had on their life. Bye passed away on April 12 after a year and half battle with cancer. Visitation is tonight in the auxiliary gym from 5-9 p.m, his funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. April 19 at Covenant Life Church.
“Robin was compassionate towards kids and passionate for teaching teamwork to others,” Way said. “His favorite phrase was ‘when you plant a potato, you get a potato’ meaning you reap what you sew.”
“His son was my hockey coach and I had him as my art teacher in sixth grade, we’d always mess around he’d joke around with me,” Boeve said. “He always made me laugh.”
“I’ve really gotten to know him in the past year,” Nelson said. “He helped me through a tough place in my life and was an amazing person. I’m glad he’s home.”
“When I got to Grand Haven I remember thinking they had hired someone to do all the athletic art,” Mousseau said. “A couple of years later I realized they were all done by Mr. Bye. I really appreciated his combination of art and athletics, it was definitely a tribute to his career and passions.”
“He was constantly patient and didn’t rush me out of his office,” Kram said. “He strived to show that he was actually interested and genuinely concerned that I was ready to be head coach.”
“In the sixth- grade I was in a really bad place,” Knox said. “I did not like art, but he taught me that art was really a release. He really helped me and held my hand through the darkness when he could have let me fall.”
“I remember he came into our football locker room when it was my junior year, during one of our games and he just kind of reminded us that life is all about perspective and that kind of dictates how happy you are, which dictates how successful you’re going to be,” Johnson said. “So, I think before the game he was just reminding us, play for something beyond yourself.”
“I will always think of his upbeat attitude,” said Duram. “He was a really positive person.”
“I don’t remember him as athletic director, but more as the junior high art teacher,” Foley said.
“He was proud of being a teacher and a part of Grand Haven. He was always striving to support people and help others.”
“In the sixth-grade, we had to make clay birds that did something,” Hansen said, “He helped me decide on a cheerleader. Today I still cheer and he encouraged me to keep moving forward with my dream.”
“I had him as my fourth-grade art teacher and my fifth-grade basketball coach so I really remember him,” Nelson said. “He’s a guy who had a great perspective of peoples to help him be helpful.”
