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Willie Lou (Tilmon) Byrd
Feb 23, 1930 - Sep 4, 2012
Posted by Jo Aguirre


 

Harmon County Funeral Home

HOME GOING CELEBRATION FOR WILLIE LOU (MISS WILLIE) BYRD
Sis Willie L. Tilmon was the second child born to the late Mary and Albert Tilmon on February 23, 1930 in Tunis, Texas.
She attended several public schools (St. Lincoln, Centerline, and graduated from Snook Colored High School in Snook, Texas).
She confessed a hope in Christ United and was baptized at Old Bethlehem Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. John Tisdale. She remained a member of Old Bethlehem until she moved to Hollis, Oklahoma in 1956. She united with the Zion Hill Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. W. C. Clytus. There she remained steadfast and unmovable until her homegoing.
Willie and Albert (Buddy) Byrd, Jr. were married October 15, 1949. To this union seven children were born.
For several years Willie worked as a homemaker, on different farms, and doing domestic work in several homes in the Hollis area. In 1967, she began working for Southwest Oklahoma Community Action Group (SOCAG). She took several courses in nutrition and early childhood development at Western Oklahoma State College in Altus, Oklahoma where she received her associate degree in nutrition. She cooked for Headstart and continued in that position for the next forty-five years, retiring on July 31, 2012.
She served faithfully as a Sunday School Teacher, Choir director, missionary, youth director, church events coordinator, outreach ministry, mentor for youth and adults. She pioneered the Homecoming and Church Anniversary from 1977 until 2011.
She was a virtuous woman of strength and wisdom, full of compassion for others. She exhibited love and selfless support for Headstart and the community by attending and supporting graduations and sporting events.
Willie loved to travel – visiting her children, sisters in California, brothers and relatives in Texas, various churches in the community and surrounding states.

She is preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Annie Melvin; two brothers, Robert Tilmon and Travis Tilmon; one daughter, Yvonne Byrd; one grandson, Larry Wayne Byrd, Jr.; and one granddaughter, Kendall Lynn Pesewonit.

She leaves to cherish her memory, seven children, Jewel Buckingham of Oklahoma City, Almatene Byrd of Oklahoma City, Ricky Byrd of Hollis, Sandra Byrd of Hollis, Larry Byrd of Hugoton, Kansas, Norman Byrd and wife Grace of Hollis, and Kendall Sean Byrd of Liberal, Kansas; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-seven great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one sister, Eula Lee Crouse of Richmond, California; one sister-in-law, Iris Tilmon of College Station, Texas; five special friends, Elvira Davis, Elizabeth Butler, Bobbie Loving, Mary Smith, and Zella Ford along with many other relatives and a host of friends. Funeral services for Willie Byrd will be at 11 a.m., Saturday Sept. 8, 2012 at First Baptist Church with Pastor William Dickey officiating, and a Wake will be at 6:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, 2012 at Zion Hill Baptist Church in Hollis.

Interment will follow at Fairmount Cemetery under the direction of Harmon County Funeral Home of Hollis.

Willie will be dearly missed by those she loved and those who loved her.
She fought a good fight, she kept the faith, she finished her course.
“Good night from all of us. We will see you in the morning.”

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