REV. LARRY BYRD
KONAWA-Services for Rev. James Larry Byrd, 73, of Konawa are Monday, 10:00 a.m. at River of Life Church with Rev. Charles Dial officiating. Burial will follow at Oakman Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Sunday at Criswell Funeral Home.
Mr. Byrd died Friday, October 17, 2014 at home. He was born January 4, 1941 in Mason, Tennessee to Charlie Edgar Byrd and Effie T. Stewart Byrd. He came to Oklahoma in 1958 and moved to the Ada area from Oklahoma City 40 years ago.
He married Ettamae Meinke in 1962 in Durant, Oklahoma and she preceded him in death in 2002. He later married Virginia Bristow Thoma on September 12, 2003. He was a retired concrete finisher and was also in the Army National Guard and the Military Police. While attending River of Life Church earlier in his life, Mr. Byrd was very active in a nursing home ministry. He also served as a Deacon of the church. His passion for ministry led to him becoming pastor of the Hope Full Gospel Church in Seminole. He retired from full time ministry in early 2014. However, he returned to River of Life and served faithfully in preaching part-time and also resumed nursing home ministry.
Survivors include his wife Virginia of the home; seven sons, Tim Byrd and wife Sharon, Dale Byrd and wife Cindy, Troy Byrd and wife Tammie, Matthew Thoma and wife Abby, all of Ada, Steve Thoma of Wewoka, Skyler Byrd and Tyler Byrd of the home; one daughter, Edna Ivey and husband Kevin of Ada; brother and sisters, Dalton Byrd and wife Dorothy of Mason, Tennessee, Jimmy Wyle and wife Martha Lou of Star City, Arkansas, Lanie Byrd and wife Ruby of Mustang, Oklahoma, Milton Byrd and wife Gwen of Piedmont, Oklahoma, Evelyn Yarbro and husband Maurice of Covington, Tennessee, Pat Meinke and husband Floyd of Mustang, Oklahoma and Louis Byrd and wife Patti of Flagstaff, Arizona; a sister-in-law Linda Stewart; fourteen grandchildren, Adam & Leona Byrd, Kristie and Robbie Balthrop, Kayla and Kyle Power, Tanner Byrd, Ethan Byrd, Dalen Byrd, Kyler Byrd, Cooper Byrd, Miranda Byrd, Caitlyn Byrd, Caleb Stone, Nathan Stone, Kytelynn Thoma and Traven Thoma; three great-grandchildren, Konner Power, Kimber Power and Daxtyn Balthrop.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ettamae Byrd and one brother Dayton Byrd.
Bearers will be grandsons, Adam Byrd, Tanner Byrd, Ethan Byrd, Dalen Byrd, Kyler Byrd, Robbie Balthrop and Kyle Power. Honorary bearers will be Cooper Byrd, Caleb Stone and Nathan Stone.
Obituaries may be viewed and online condolences sent to criswellfh.com
Criswell Funeral Home