Baye, Alyssa Josephine

Alyssa Josephine Baye, 22, of Iowa City, passed on Friday, March 25, 2011, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. A celebration of Alyssa's life in music and word will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, Iowa City, where visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Alyssa was born July 1, 1988, in Rapid City, S.D.

Alyssa was a heart transplant recipient when she was 12 years old. She lived each day to the fullest, never taking life for granted. People were inspired and drawn to her like a magnet. Alyssa was an artist, singer and dancer. She was the greatest fan of Joe's band “Dead Larry.”

Alyssa was a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter and friend who helped to reshape the lives of all those she touched. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.

Survivors include the love of her life, Joe Scarpellino; her mothers, Pamela Baye and Chantel Austin of Des Moines; her father and his fiancee, Sylvan Baye and Stephanie Williams of Riverside; her three sisters, Angela and Greg Sullivan of Mountain View, Calif., Ashley Baye and Andy Frank of Riverside and Madison Baye of Des Moines; nephews, Bryceton, Ethan and Lane; grandparents, Richard and Teddy Baye of Philip, S.D., and Roger and Josephine Cook of West Chicago; great-grandmother, Florence Rogers of West Chicago; Joe's parents, Christopher Scarpellino of Iowa City and Martha Scarpellino of Des Moines; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Alyssa was preceded in death by her heart donor, Kristen Williams.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

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