Obituary of lorraine southard byrd

Lorraine S. Byrd, 90, of Pensacola, Florida passed away surrounded by family on October 25, 2019. Lorraine was born in Ponce de Leon Florida on February 12, 1929 to Annette Belle Humphrey and Dexter Southard. She would always talk very fondly of her parents and her times growing up at the area springs. Lorraine had an extreme zest for life. She was a very creative person. As a young woman she was an award winning member of the Pensacola Garden Club and she loved to make abstract arrangements using flowers and found objects. Her creative nurturing nature lead her to a career teaching the mentally disabled the art of ceramics and horticulture at ARC here in Pensacola. She was also a member of the West Florida Literary Federation. Lorraine was a natural storyteller and always had a passion to write. She was also quite the conversationalist and everyone who met her became mesmerized by her stories and heart. She loved people and never met a stranger. Lorraine was always drawn to nature and had an extreme passion for the Great Smoky Mountains; making trips there every chance she had. In her free time, she loved to dance and listen to live music. She would drop everything for the chance to see one of her favorites, Grayson Capps from Brewton Alabama and she also loved to spend her Sundays at The Frog Pond Sunday Social. Her family members loved her amazing southern hospitality and delicious home cooking! She loved God and was a member of the Warrington Methodist church for many years. Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin R. Byrd; her sons, Kenneth Byrd, Richard Byrd and sister, Marian Trotman. She is survived by her son, Ronald K. Byrd; sister, Glenda Bowden; grandchildren, Jessica Reiser, Leslie St. Croix, Laura Baker, Rachel Vasquez and her great grandchildren, Arizona Guillory, Tory St. Croix, Alliahna St. Croix, Zachary Baker, Madeline Vasquez, and Brennan Vasquez. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 1:30 pm at Barrancas National Cemetery. Please come early to check in, all visitors need valid driver’s licenses to get in. We will meet at Shelter B. Also, if you can’t make the service, please join us in a celebration of Lorraine’s life at The Bridge Bar in Gulf Breeze, 33 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze, FL, starting at 4 pm. We hope to see you for a bay sunset toast in honor of our sweet Lorraine.