Louis Byrd

The live stream will begin when the service starts around 10:00 am CST on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/MuehlebachFuneralCare
Louis Byrd, 95, of Kansas City, MO passed away April 13, 2022, at St. Lukes Hospice House with the loving support of his family and friends. Visitation will be 9AM Thursday, at St. Therese Little Flower Church, 5814 Euclid Ave, Kansas City, MO 64130-3336. Rosary will be prayed at 9:45AM. Mass will follow at 10AM, with burial at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Blvd, Raytown, MO 64138. There will be a luncheon at the church after returning from the cemetery. All are welcome.
Louis Smith Byrd was born on July 1, 1926, at his Grandmother Byrds home on 3rd street in Chillicothe, MO. Louis was the oldest of seven children of Okie Ethel Smith Byrd and Roy Oliver Byrd. Louis graduated from Dawn High School in 1944. At age 18 he joined the Merchant Marines where he served for 5 years as a radio telegraph operator, coding and decoding Morse code messages on a ship in the Pacific. In 1951 Louis was drafted into the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany. After his service in the army, he attended Rockhurst College where he befriended Clarence Mitchel. In 1954 Clarence invited Louis to his going away party having been drafted into the Korean War. Louis agreed on the condition that Clarence find him a date. Clarence fixed him up with Bridget, who was the sister of Vincent, who was married to Clarences own sister, Marilee.
The two fell in love quickly. After several months of courtship, dancing at the Playmore, going to the zoo, attending the grand opening of Milgrams Grocery Store, and meeting their mutual families, Louis planned a proposal. One evening in June he took Bridget to Loose Park as the sun was going down. They walked around the lighted lily pond and sat down on a park bench. There Louis proposed. This was at 11pm, when the lights at the park were turned off. Louis chose that moment to snap a twig behind Bridgets back and made her jump a mile. They laughed and headed happily back home.They were married at St. Michaels Catholic Church on January 15, 1955. Together they raised four daughters, Diana, Cynthia, Teresa, and Lorraine at their home in Kansas City, MO. They attended St. Therese Little Flower Church at 5814 Euclid. They also owned a home and farmland south of Chillicothe. Many happy weekends were spent at the Byrd family farm, fishing, roasting marshmallows, sleeping outside, walking in the woods, and exploring hidden wonders of nature.
Louis worked for 20+ years at DiCarlo Construction company as the Office Manager. In his free time, he enjoyed reading books about history, philosophy, and religion. He also kept busy in his workshop fixing discarded fans, radios, and bicycles, and building bookshelves, tables, and sawhorses. For his children he made troll doll houses, stick ponies, and rope swings.
He showed his children how to be comforted by nature and the simpler things in life: walking at night by the light of the moon and stars, skinny dipping in the creek, mud sliding, fishing, and lying in the grass and watching the busy insect life within the foliage. In the fall he would take his girls to Swope Park to catch leaves and in the winter to go sledding. His idea of a party was a "Stick Party" which turned out to be his children riding in the back of the trailer to pick up sticks and small logs to clear the fields for planting. He played a little guitar and a little piano and sang a few memorable songs, such as "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" or "Someones in the Kitchen with Dinah."
Louis taught his children how to think, how to discern right from wrong and how to develop their values. Most of the time he taught without words at all, only by example. When he did use words he taught indirectly with parables, bits of wisdom and short puzzling stories that had an initial teaching but over time continued to unfold deeper meaning, even into his childrens adulthood.
Louis and Bridget shared 62 years of a marriage filled with laughter, love, respect, and faith. Louis was a quiet man slow moving, slow in speech, and slow in making decisions. He was insightful and a thoughtful man of faith. He also had a quirky and dry sense of humor. For all these things, his life will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.
His love comforts us; his spirit strengthens us.
He was preceded in death by his wife Bridget Byrd, his parents Roy and Okie Byrd and his brother Mark Byrd.
He is survived by 4 daughters, Diana Bray (Warren), Cynthia Gieseke (Michael), Teresa Chapman (John), Lorraine Kim (Thomas); 7 grandchildren, Tyson Duckworth (Danielle), Gabriel Duckworth (Candice), Bridget Nicole Shireman (Erick), Peter Kim, Louis Kim, Caterina Kim, Joey Kim; 7 great grandchildren, Emily Duckworth, Abigail Duckworth, Braddock Duckworth, Carter Duckworth, Jimmie Duckworth, Zoey Shireman, Aiden Shireman; 5 siblings, Virginia Headrick (Hubert), Dorothy Hughes, Kay Christian, Chlovena Byrd Metzger, and Julian Byrd.
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Visitation
Thursday, April 21, 2022
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

St. Therese Little Flower 5814 Euclid AveKansas City, Missouri 64130

Directions
Rosary
Thursday, April 21, 2022
9:30 AM

St. Therese Little Flower 5814 Euclid AveKansas City, Missouri 64130

Directions
Mass of Christian Burial
Thursday, April 21, 2022
10:00 AM

St. Therese Little Flower 5814 Euclid AveKansas City, Missouri 64130

Directions
Burial
Thursday, April 21, 2022
11:15 AM

Mount Olivet Cemetery 7601 Blue Ridge BlvdKansas City, Missouri 64138

Directions