Eunice Mae Byrd

A longtime resident of Baker and a member of the First Baptist Church of Zachary, Eunice died Monday, Oct. 17, 2011, in Columbus, Ga. Born March 28, 1924, in her namesake of Eunice, she spent a lifetime in service to her family, her God and those less fortunate in her community. Taking to heart the commandment of Jesus Christ to visit those in prison, Eunice and her husband, James, organized and led an active prison ministry for many years at Dixon Correctional Facility in Jackson. She retired from the Louisiana Department of Labor, where she worked as a research statistician. Eunice was preceded in death by her husband, James Curtis Byrd; mother and stepfather, Rosa Murray Vernon and Jesse Vernon, who were of Baton Rouge; grandson, Kevin Dewayne Gonzalez; great-grandson, Eamon Michael Lowe; and all of her siblings, Bernice Murray Bednarski, Geraldine Murray Ryder, Hazel Aline Murray Vanchiere, Wanda Lee Murray Barber, R.L. Murray and Sarah Elizabeth Murray Petty, several of whom she took into her home and cared for during their final months of life. She is survived by her daughter, Dana Lynn Byrd Gonzalez and husband Raymond Gonzalez, of Columbus; son, Melvin Wade Byrd and wife Sandra Kelley Byrd, of Greenwell Springs; four grandchildren, Christopher Shane Byrd, Ashley Byrd Lowe, Stephen Bourda Gonzalez and Sayward Byrd Stuart; and four great-grandchildren, Katie Elizabeth Lowe, Abigail Rose Lowe, Miles Bourda Gonzalez and Annabel Grace Stuart. Pallbearers will be Raymond Gonzalez, Wade Byrd, Michael Lowe, Don Byrd, Earl Kelley and Tommy Boyett. Honorary pallbearers are Christopher Shane Byrd, Clint Stuart and Stephen Bourda Gonzalez. Services will be held at First Baptist Church, 4200 Main St., Zachary, on Saturday, Oct. 22, with visitation starting at 1 p.m. until services at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Greenoaks Memorial Park. The family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to the staff of the Green House at Calvary Memory Care Home, a ministry of the Calvary First Baptist Church in Columbus. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Eunice's name to the Green House at Calvary Memory Care Home, 7490 Old Moon Road, Columbus, GA 31909.