Melvin Byrd

Bettie Jean Byrd, age 84 and Melvin Lamar Byrd, age 90, of Gulfport, both passed away on Sunday, October 15, 2017 in Beaumont, MS.
They were preceded in death by her parents, James and Bernice Rouse and his parents, T.O. and Demaris Byrd; a son, David Byrd, a grandchild, Kendell Byrd, a  great grandchild, Angel Byrd;  her brother, Robert Rouse, and his siblings,  Alton Byrd, Glenn Byrd, Burney Byrd, Neysa Turner, and Roberta Warden.
Bettie and Melvin are survived by their children, Edward (Betty Jo) Byrd of Gulfport, MS, Karen (David) Baxter of Hattiesburg, MS, and Gerald (Gene) Byrd of Gulfport, MS; her sister, Edith (Floyd) Saucier of Saucier, MS, his siblings, Nellie Rae Ward of Marrero, LA, Mable (Charlie) Neal of Raymond, MS, Nola Mae Jelks of Hamilton, AL, Velma Walker of Elizabethton, TN, Deloris Elaine Duncan of Gulfport, MS, Virgil (Darla) Boyd of Lanett, AL; their grandchildren, Justin (Brittany) Byrd, Robert Byrd, Stephen (Tracy) Byrd all of Gulfport, MS, Jeffrey Taylor, Stephen (Lorena) Taylor, and Beau Baxter of Hattiesburg, MS, Kenneth (Staci) Taylor of Trussville, AL, their great grandchildren, Stephen Byrd, II, Rebecca Reygaert, Hailey Byrd, and Brandon Byrd, all of Gulfport, MS, Grayson Taylor and Chapel Taylor, both of Trussville, AL, and Devin Davis and Tyler Davis, both of Costa Rica, Central America; and many nieces and nephews.
Bettie was a native of Saucier, MS; she was a homemaker who enjoyed crocheting, sewing and cooking.
Melvin was a native of Beaumont, MS; he had a Associates of Mechanical Engineering and earned a Certificate of Instrumentation, Electronics. He proudly served two years in the United States Army during WWII. Over the years he was employed with Olin Aluminum Co., Bower Aluminum Co., Ingalls Ship Yard, NASA as a G.E. contractor, Faulkner Concrete, and Darby Enterprises. Melvin enjoyed quail hunting, square dancing, electronic repair, genealogy, community and church history, and computers. He also enjoyed watching sports on TV.
Bettie and Melvin were married over 69 years. They were both active members of Trinity United Methodist Church, Gulfport, for over 40 years.
Thank you to all our friends and family for the many prayers, calls and texts and for sharing your memories and expressing how they influenced your life.
A visitation for friends and family will be held on Friday, October 20, 2017, from 6:00pm until 8:00pm, at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 11280 Three Rivers Rd., Gulfport, MS. The funeral service will be on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at 10:00am in the funeral home chapel. Burial will follow in Saucier Cemetery.
An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.riemannfamily.com.