Sarah Byrd

Sarah T. Byrd, age 85, of West Delaware Ave., went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 27, 2011. Sarah was born on December 2, 1925, Toledo, Ohio, to the parents of Arthur and Mary Agnes (Stokes) Jones, Sr. Sarah was the oldest of four children. She accepted Christ as her personal savior at the age of 12 at True Vine Missionary Baptist Church. Sarah worked as a dedicated servant for the lord at True Vine until her health failed. While she was an active member, she served on the Junior and Senior usher board; sang with True Vine's number one choir, taught cradle class in the Sunday school, was a member of the Missionary Society & hospitality and on the Mother Board. Sarah was educated in the Toledo Public Schools, graduating from Woodward High in 1945. Then she married Willie Byrd on July 29, 1945, and to this union five children were born. Sarah was employed for 29 years at the (former) Commodore Perry Hotel also she was a union steward there for Teamsters, until it closed in 1982. She was also employed at the Toledo Country Club until she retired in 1988. Sarah was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers, John and Arthur Jones Jr.; her sister, Ada M. Williams and grandson, Jeffrey S. Alexander. She leaves to mourn her passing, her son, Jerome (Jeannette) Byrd; daughters Shirley (David) Taylor, Christine (Willie deceased) Williams and Lavern Byrd (Earl Taylor Sr.); God-son, Veodis Clark all of Toledo, Ohio and daughter, Correan (Kenneth) Baker of Las Vegas, NV. Also 11 grand children, 20 great grand children, 8 great-great grand children, 2 brother in-laws, 4 sister in-laws and host of nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation will be 4-7p.m. Thursday, September 1, 2011, at Dale-Riggs Funeral Home Chapel, wake service 11:30a.m. Friday followed by funeral service at 12:30p.m. at True Vine Missionary Baptist Church Rev. Melvin Barnes officiant burial Forest Cemetery. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staffs of Heartland of Perrysburg and Heartland Hospice.