June 30, 1937 was a sunny day in Dallas, Texas.  Elzie Lee Byrd and Christella Jones were especially happy because with the golden rays of sunshine from above, came their special sunray: a baby girl they named Lucy Byrd, whom we affectionately call Mother.

A small community outside Hallsville, Texas was brightened with sunshine when Mother moved there before she was three years old.  She graduated from the Hallsville Independent School district.  This is where Mother met the love of her life and our father, Jack Christian. They got married in 1954 and raised a family that consisted of five sunrays:  Sandra, Douglas, Jacqueline, Janice and Yolonda.  They worked together harmoniously until our father's death on November 9, 2010.  At that point, Mother said she had five to ten years left on this earth.

Mother loved to sew and to quilt.  She was the corresponding secretary for the Heart and Hands Quilting Club.  Mother made specially designed quilts for all her sunrays and grand-sunrays. She started quilts for her great-grand-sunrays. Unfortunately, she was unable to finish them.

Mother spent her adult life as an active member of West Side Church of Christ (current congregation), Howell Town Church of Christ and Sweet Home Church of Christ.  She gracefully fulfilled her duties as a deacon's wife and a minister's wife.  Mother assisted the elderly women of the church by providing rides, running errands and visiting the sick.  She counseled the young women and girls with opened ears and a seasoned tongue.  She taught Bible classes to the youth.  She coordinated repast meals.

Mother graduated from Marshall School of Vocational Nurses in 1972.  She started her nursing career at Merritt Plaza Nursing home where she was remembered for her compassionate work.  She then became the first African-American surgical nurse at Memorial Hospital.  She held this position for 19 years.  Mother was also one of the directors of the Licensed Vocational Nurses Association.

April 23, 2020 was another sunny day.  While listening to her children's voices over the telephone, Mother's ray of sunshine dimmed.  It only dimmed because she left many other rays of sunshine starting with Sandra Bibb, Douglas Christian (Lydia), Jacqueline Kirby (Kenny), Janice Jefferson (William), Yolonda Scarlett (Russell) and son-in-law, Reginald Bibb.  Mother left her grandrays of sunshine: Reginald Bibb II (Alyssa), Alexander Bibb, Spencer Christian (Brandi Rosser), Ebony Kuo (Charlie), Dustin Moore, McKenzie Taylor (Jeffrey), Christalee Kirby, Winston Jefferson, Isaiah, Ervin, Ashley, and Andrew Scarlett and Judith Solomon.  She also left  great-grandrays of sunshine: Sadelle Christian, Alexa, London and Zoe Bibb, and Jericho Taylor. Also holding onto a piece of Mother's sunshine are her surviving siblings:  Barbara Lewis, Alice Smith, Donald Maxey (Gwendolyn), Pearl Esther McGuirt, James Washington (Faye) and Etta Joyce Thompson.

In heavenly bliss, Mother reignited her sunray with our father, Jack Christian and our brother who didn't get to know her outside of her womb, Jack Christian Jr.  She also provided sunshine for her father Elzie Lee Byrd Sr, mother Christella Jones Washington, and her brothers Elzie Lee Byrd Jr. and Billy Joe Washington.  Mother also brought sunshine to Patricia Briggs Wilson whom she affectionately referred to as her "special goddaughter."

Mother's last spoken words were on April 21, 2020.  She repeated, "I just want to thank everyone.  Thank everyone for what they did for me.  Thank everyone."  We would also like to thank everyone.  We give special thanks to Dr. Kimberly Barbola (internal medicine), Dr. Billy Westbrook (podiatrist) and Dr. Ralph Hamer (neurologist).  Thanks to Mona Bradley the owner of The Trinity Sitter Service for the expedient services your staff provided.  We could not have asked for better care than what was given by Charlsa Stoker.  We also thank Jimmy and Alice Lang, owners of Alpha and Omega Residential Care, for the individualized care you gave our Mother and for allowing her to hear our voices as her sunray dimmed.  Thanks to Loving Hope Hospice who preserved Mother's dignity and comfort as she patiently waited her turn to illuminate her light in the presence of the Lord.

Due to the Coronavirus restrictions, a private graveside service will be held for our mother.  A public memorial service will be held after this pandemic ends.