Mr. Byrd, who died on December 15 in Gastonia at the age of 104, was exploring New York with friends from his native Georgia when he volunteered for the Army during World War II. Part of it was patriotism, his daughter Jacqueline Byrd explained, but he also saw an opportunity to flee harsh Southern bigotry and position himself for a better future.
“He survived World War II,” she remarked. “He survived watching his father hung in his front yard in front of his siblings” when he was lynched by a white mob.
Mr. Byrd died as one of North Carolina’s oldest World War II veterans. Although he lived a humble life after leaving the Army, his children wanted to recognize and appreciate his service and legacy.
“Even when my sister and I attempted to plan his service, we were thinking we don’t need a bunch of fancy hoopla, because he’s 104 and all his siblings are deceased,” said Shirley Byrd Mungo, the second oldest of his seven children. “He has a few nieces and possibly nephews who have passed away, so I would assume those people could truly convey his narrative, but everyone’s gone. …I want people to learn something about him. …He was here, and he made a difference, but not only for us.”
Jacqueline Byrd stated, “He made a difference.”Perhaps not star level, but he was important to his family and a group of friends.”
Mr. Byrd, one of ten siblings, was born on May 7, 1920, when alcohol was illegal under federal law and women did not have the right to vote. He served in the Army as a cook in Italy from 1943 to 1945, a time when Black troops were legally and customarily consigned to service roles with few exceptions. Feeding his companions, however, served a practical purpose in daily life.
“He did a lot of cooking,” Jacqueline explained. “Everyone enjoyed his cuisine, including ourselves. He could cook, and he could do it better than our mother. Many of the things we thought we didn’t like were fixed, and it was like, ‘Oh, this is good.’ And, whereas many children do not eat vegetables, he would prepare them and they were delicious.”
Mr. Byrd, who had completed eighth grade, was also an avid reader throughout his life, according to his children. He was also a traditionalist in terms of etiquette and treating others with dignity.
“Always a gentleman,” Shirley stated. “He’s always the one who opens the door for you – you know, ladies coming in and getting into the car. “He was that guy.”
Following the war, Mr. Byrd lived in New York for nearly 65 years before returning to Georgia to be closer to family. He worked at many occupations before his worsening health forced him to relocate to Gastonia in 2018, yet he always made time for his family and friends.
Jacqueline recalls her father’s ability to make her and Shirley laugh even while they were crying. “He would find something; he just had a way about him that could take a sad face and make it happy.”
Shirley recalled: “We didn’t have much, but we didn’t realize it.” You wouldn’t know it. If you only relied on spirit and love, we would be affluent beyond measure. We were all flowing, because that’s what he did: he gave and showed love and affection.”