Hilda Byrd

Hilda Culbreath Byrd, 82, of Bainbridge, GA, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, May 29, 2008 surrounded by family and friends. The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 31, 2008 at First Baptist Church with Rev. Paul Medley, Dr. Richard Davis, Rev. Jean Watson officiating. Interment will follow at Oak City Cemetery with Justin Byrd, James Byrd, Jimmy Rach, Ben Hinson, Rabun Culbreath, and Harry Culbreath serving as active pallbearers. The family will receive friends Friday, May 30, 2008 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com . In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 155, Bainbridge, GA 39818 or Hospice of Southwest Georgia, 1323 E. Shotwell St., Bainbridge, GA 39819. Mrs. Byrd was born November 18, 1925 in Union Point, GA, the daughter of William Hiram Culbreath and Jessie Griffith Culbreath. She graduated from Union Point High School in 1943 and from South Georgia Teacher's College in Statesboro, GA in 1947. She was a retired elementary school teacher with the Decatur County School System, past president of the Decatur-Seminole Retired Teachers Association, past president of Alpha Delta Kappa teacher's sorority, served many years as a Gray Lady at Memorial Hospital and volunteer with Hospice of Southwest Georgia, and was selected Decatur County Woman of the Year in 2001. Mrs. Byrd was a member of First Baptist Church for over 60 years and taught Sunday School for over 36 years. She was a member and former teacher of the Hilda Byrd Sunday School Class and a former director of WMU. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Robert Byrd. Her love for her family and her devotion to God will be remembered by all who knew her. Survivors include her daughter, Patsy B. Rach and husband David of Dothan, AL; her son Ralph Byrd and wife Theresa of Monroe, GA; her brother, John Culbreath of Union Point, GA; her sister, Grace Hinson of Macon, GA; six grandchildren, Angie Maddox and husband Chris of Dothan, AL, Dana Dyer and husband Brandon of Dothan, AL, Jimmy Rach of Birmingham, AL, Justin Byrd of Camp Lejeune, NC, James Byrd of Ft. Stewart, GA, and Jaclyn Byrd of Monroe, GA; and six great-grandchildren.