Ernest Joe Byrd

Ernest Joe Byrd, Sr., 71, of Florence, passed away on Saturday, November 21, 2015. Mr. Byrd was born in Dillon County, SC, a son of the late Coy Joe Byrd and Geneva Powers Byrd.He was a member of Florence Baptist Temple. Mr. Byrd retired as a supervisor from Delta Mills after thirty years of service.He also worked for Harris Pest Control, DeRoyal and the Florence Career Center.Mr. Byrd was a very loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.He loved hunting and sharing his vegetables from his garden with his family and friends.He was loved by all who knew him. Surviving are his wife of 35 years, Katina Byrd; son, Ernest “Joey” (Lanette) Byrd, Jr. of Effingham; daughters, Tammie Byrd Dixon (Todd) Sullivan of St. George and Tiffany Byrd (Matthew) Brown of Florence; grandchildren, Timothy Craig “Ty” Dixon, Robert Levi (Pauline) Dixon, Joshua Ryan Dixon, Brittany Nichole Byrd, Caitlin Leighann Byrd, Jenna Elizabeth Sullivan and Ansleigh Caroline Brown; great-grandchildren, Stone Dixon, Ella Craig Dixon, Faith Ryals and Davis Sanders; brother, William (Nyoki) Byrd; sisters, “Lucille” Mildred Goodyear and Gladys Lutz; and two special nieces, Shirley Monahan and Sharon Monahan. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his daughter, Allyson Elizabeth Byrd; sister, Louise Monahan and brothers, Milton Byrd, Jimmy Byrd, James Byrd and Charlie Byrd. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 23, 2015, in the Florence Baptist Temple Chapel.Entombment will follow at Florence Memorial Gardens Mausoleum directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home. Family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on Monday in the Florence Baptist Temple. Memorials may be made to Leukemia Research Foundation, 191 Waukegan Road, Suite 105 Northfield, IL 60093. Please sign the tribute wall for Mr. Byrd at the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com.