Charles D. Byrd

Charles Dale Byrd was born on March 16, 1935 to the union of James C. and Zera A. Byrd, their first born child. He passed peacefully from this world at Glenwood Hospital on July 25, 2016 at the age of eighty-one years old with all his sons around him. Charles suffered a massive stroke some ten days prior to his death which he was unable to recover from.He attended grammar school at Ward Five School in Caldwell Parish, then attended lower grades in high school at Grayson High School and then transferred to Ouachita High School from which he graduated. During the last two years of high school he worked for Morgan & Lindsey in the Distributive Education program of the school. At the age 18 he began working for Brown Paper Mill as a box designer, and then went on into the administrative management department when Olin bought out Brown Containers. He retired from Olin and then went on to work as plant manager for Georgia Pacific who took over Olin from which he also retired. During this time he spent a year in San Palo, Brazil setting up a converter plant there. He then took over the management of Bocks Board Packaging in Monroe finally retiring from there. He spent his remaining days, some eight years or so taking care of the love of his life, his wife Carolyn when she became disabled whom he was married to for some 60 years. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Carolyn Byrd; his three sons, Charles Byrd, Jr. of West Monroe and his four children, Amity, Kelsey, Christina and Noah, Louis Ray Byrd and wife Marlene and their two children, Rachel and Louis, Philip Byrd of West Monroe and his three children, Jennifer, Shannon and David; he also leaves behind a sister, Dwana “Dee” Owens of Dallas, TX; two brothers, Richard Byrd and wife Brenda of West Monroe and Gerald Byrd and wife Janis of West Monroe; nine grandchildren; six great grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews who thought he was the greatest uncle of all. And we can’t forget little dog Maria his constant canine companion around the house. He was a loving father and husband always putting the needs of his family and friends ahead of his own needs. He was a man who would work tirelessly at the many things that he loved to do and never complained. His absence will for many years be felt as a great void to all those that knew and loved him. He truly knew what the American dream was all about, having come from a very humble beginning to a man of great means. Funeral Services will be in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe, LA at 11:00 A.M., Friday, July 29, 2016 with Rev. Jerry Salisbury and Gary Davis officiating. Interment will follow at Hasley Cemetery, West Monroe, LA. Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Thursday, July 28, 2016 at Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe. Pallbearers will be Lewis Byrd, Jr., David Allen Byrd, Noah Arlo Byrd, Chris Kieffer, Clyde Bass and Chad Olsen.