Nancy Sue Runnels Byrd

WEATHERFORD -- Nancy Sue Runnels Byrd, 79, of Redland, Lufkin and Weatherford, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at her home in Weatherford. Funeral: 11 a.m. Saturday in White's Chapel of Memories, 130 Houston Ave., Weatherford. Officiating the service will be Brian Leatherman and pallbearers are, Robert Graham, Danny Wallis, Gary Graham, Mark Swim, Gerald Simmons, Brad Roderick, Salty Robinson, Milton Cordell, Louie Short, Robert Allen Knight and Bobby Dan Hightower. Interment: 11 a.m. Monday in Garden of Memories Memorial Park, Lufkin. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at White's Funeral Home and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Gibson-Metcalf Funeral Home Lufkin. Nancy was raised by her grandparents, Happy and Nancy Holloway, and married Oscar Byrd Nov. 22, 1947, in Redland, where she and Oscar had attended school. After Oscar served in the U.S. Navy where they were stationed in San Diego, Calif. and Hawaii, they returned to Lufkin where they had several businesses and where they could be close to family and friends. While in California, they developed a passion for racing auto midgets and cars. Upon returning to Lufkin, they continued that passion and also loved to water ski. On weekends, you could find them camping with friends at river, water skiing, at the race track racing cars or at the VFW dancing the night away. It is there where they met lifelong friends, two of which were with her when she passed away. In the early 60's they moved to Fort Worth where they opened the 1st of many A & B Muffler & Brake Shops. They continued building their businesses all over the state of Texas. Later, upon retirement, they built a home in Weatherford where they still reside. Nancy's greatest pleasure was her children and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be truly missed by all. Nancy was preceded in death by her grandparents, John "Happy" and Nancy Holloway in 1973; father, CB "Ray" Runnels in 1943; mother, Edna Holloway Runnels Evans in 1990; son, Robert Oscar "Bob" Byrd in 2008, and daughter, Rebecca "Becky" Sue Byrd in 1956. Survivors: her husband of 63 wonderful years, Wallace "Oscar" Byrd of Weatherford; daughter, Gwen Byrd Perkins and son-in-law Barry Perkins of Bayfield, Colo.; "son" and wife, Danny and Patti Wallis of Weatherford; daughter-in-law, Linda Byrd; grandchildren, Donnie Byrd of Haltom City, Rebecca Roderick, "her special angel" of Weatherford, Rian Roderick of Farmington, N.M., Bradley Roderick, Jr. of Bayfield, Colo., Brandon Perkins of Durango, Colo.; and Kasha Byrd Kinman of Millsap; great-grandchildren, Kristen, Leland, Nathan, Ashton, Macey, Gage, Naomi and Camber. White's Funeral Home Weatherford, 817-596-4811