Tosca Lee Rovetti Byars

RENO - It is with great love that we say good-bye to Tosca Lee Rovetti Byars, who passed away on March 17, 2024.

Tosca was born on May 7, 1931, to Harry (Sr.) and Areta (Bower) Rovetti, at their home in Reno, Nevada. Tosca and her brother Harry had a carefree childhood growing up on Valley Road. Her father was a co-owner of Rovetti Brothers Grocers. Tosca attended McKinley Elementary, North Side Junior High and Reno High School. It was at Reno High that Tosca met the love of her life, Marv Byars. They married in 1952 and, along with their four children, always called Reno their home. Tosca dedicated her life to being a wife, mother and grandmother.

She loved her Italian heritage traditions, including her biscotti and raviolis. She never shared her biscotti recipe with anyone outside of the family. While she spent many years volunteering at the Twentieth Century Club, Assistance League and St. Mary’s Guild, her family was her priority. She was always there for her children’s and grandchildren’s activities. Tosca, Marv, and the kids spent their summers at their tiny cabin at Lake Tahoe frequenting Poco Beach and Buck’s Beach with extended family and friends.

Tosca and Marv worked hard to build H. M. Byars Construction Company and raise their family. They travelled the world, including China, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Europe, Brazil, Russia, and India. She was always very grateful for the opportunities they had together.

Tosca cherished her lifelong friends and their time together, whether it was playing bridge, chatting on the phone (for hours!), travelling, arrowhead hunting, or attempting golf, tennis, and skiing. She even tried to skateboard once! She was optimistic and positive. Tosca was known for her unfailing kindness. Over the years she was a ‘second mom’ to many. She loved people, never met a stranger, and could start a conversation with anyone. She kept her sense of humor, even as she progressed into dementia, saying “I think I am losing it…maybe I never had it!”.

Tosca was preceded in death by her husband Howard Marvin Byars, her daughter Linda Byars Lehman, her grandson Kristopher Byars and her brother Harry Rovetti, Jr.

She is survived by her son Mark Byars (Susan), her daughters Christine Byars Winkel (Rob) and Sheril Byars Bradley, her grandchildren Lyndsey Byars Pittman (Dan), Alexandra Byars, Trent Winkel (Sarah), Jaclyn Winkel (Nate), Megan Winkel, Connor Bradley (Avery), Alaina Bradley (Thomas), and great-grandchildren Owen and Waverly Pittman.

Thank you to Eden Hospice and Summit Estates Senior Living.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the H. M. Byars Civil Engineering Endowment Scholarship at the University of Nevada, Reno (giving@ unr.edu).

Tosca will be deeply missed but her loving, kind and generous spirit will live on in all that knew and loved her.