Angie Byrd
Angie Byrd, 85, passed on into the arms of Heaven on the morning of March 24, 2022. She waited for her husband of 66 years to see her and kiss her one last time before allowing herself to leave this earth. She passed in Laurel, but she lived in Jones County. She was born near Sandersville on Jan. 29, 1937, to Claudia (deceased) and Ed L. Gatlin (deceased).
She was the third of eight children and grew up in rural Sandersville during the end of the Great Depression and beginning of the second World War. She went on to Sandersville High School and then college at the University of Southern Mississippi.
During which time she met and eventually married Wayne Byrd in November 1954. All her life she loved meeting people and got along with nearly everyone she met. This congeniality allowed her to succeed in the insurance industry while working for the Southern Farm Bureau Insurance Company. After leaving insurance, she began her famous career at Angie’s Western Wear. Here is where she founded her business out of the back of a blue Cougar in 1984.
She loved the store so much that she had only stopped in 2021. Angie’s Western Wear is what kept her going after the death of her son Shane Byrd. The love of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and watching them grow was her joy.
Angie’s family was large from the beginning. She had seven siblings, most of whom are/were married with children and grandchildren of their own. They are Eddie “Dick” (oldest) and Carolyn Gatlin, Clayton (deceased) and Elsie (deceased) Gatlin, Janet and James (deceased) Smith, Douglas (deceased) and Glenda (deceased), Donald and Shirley Gatlin, Keith and Janette Gatlin, and Ricky Gatlin (youngest).
She is survived by her husband Wayne Byrd, 86; daughter Candace Dawn Byrd Muraca, 45; grandchildren Jeffrey Byrd, 34; Shana Byrd, 32 and spouse Michael Gregg, 34; Desereigh “Angel” Baker, 27, and spouse James Baker, 31; and Jayston Jones, 13; and great-grandchildren Jeffrey “Bryce” Byrd, 15, Harley Byrd, 13, Kayleigh Gregg, 11, Alice Baker, 6, Benjamin Baker, 4, and Malcom McDonald, 3.
She was preceded in death by her son Shannon Wayne Byrd (March 2015); and great-granddaughter Madison Smith (October 2021).
Funeral services were Sunday, March 27, at Memory Chapel Funeral Home chapel. Burial will be in Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery, 10 Bill Windham Rd in Heidelberg, MS 39439.
To order flowers call Doris Tanner’s Florist or, if so inclined, donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
To view and sign the online guestbook, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.
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