The Herald Democrat
March 13, 2015

TENNESSEE – Mr. Jerrell "Jerry" Lewis Byrd, 82, passed from this life on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jerry was born November 14, 1932 in Greenville, Texas to parents Randy and Elno (Backus) Byrd. He married Gennevia Bean and they were married for 18 years before her passing in 2012.
Mr. Byrd grew up in Texas and then entered the Army, where he served his country for eight years. He spent a year in Korea and was discharged in 1960 at Ft. Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. He worked for General Motors in Baltimore, Maryland for four years. He was an evangelist for several years before moving to Louisiana in 1969 where he helped to establish a new church, The Christian Tabernacle, in Anacoco, Louisiana. He pastored the church there and served as the Director of the Christian School until his retirement in 1989.
Jerry loved to hunt and fish and enjoyed piloting his plane. He left his family with wonderful memories of a great fishing trip he recently took with them. He was loved and will be missed.
Jerry is survived by his four sons, Randy S. Byrd of Columbus, Georgia; Jerry Byrd & wife, Diana, of Columbus, Georgia; Timothy Byrd and wife, Terri, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Phillip Byrd and husband, Robby, of Chicago, Illinois; his daughter, Shelia Caldwell and husband, Gordon, of Old Hickory, Tennessee; sister, Pauline Byrd Waldrum of Howe, Texas; 5 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Jerry were held at 11 a.m., Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the Mullican-Little Funeral Chapel in Bells, Texas with burial at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bells. Rev. Bill Sessom officiated. Those serving as pallbearers were Gordon Caldwell, son-in-law; Timothy Byrd, son; Phillip Byrd, son; Jerry Byrd, son; Mike Waldrum, nephew; and James Waldrum, nephew.