Kenneth E. Byrd, former Holdenville resident, passed away at his home in Bristow, Oklahoma on Thursday, April 17, 2014, at the age of 69 years.

Kenneth was the son of Jim & Flossie (Wall) Byrd, born on May 24, 1944, in Tulare, California, where he was brought up and attended schools. He graduated high school in Hanford, California while attending night school. He joined the U.S. Army in 1961 and served for three years in the 82 ^nd Airborne. Following military service, he worked at a number of various jobs in California, Ohio, and Oregon.

Kenneth moved to Holdenville in January of 1974. He attended a paint and body school in Sulphur and also at Okmulgee Tech, and was learning the auto upholstery trade. He worked for many years in auto body repair and paint.

He moved to Kansas in 1990, and attended Pittsburg State University at Pittsburg, where he received a Bachelors Degree in Social Work. He worked for five years as a child abuse investigator in Kansas. In 1999, he returned to Holdenville, where he was employed by the CCA Davis Correctional Facility as a therapeutic counselor until he retired in 2004. He moved to Bristow in August of 2013. His favorite things were fishing, spending time on the computer, and visiting with friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Jim & Flossie Byrd; two sisters, Flossie Verena Caskey and Wanda Lancaster, and one brother, Jim Byrd.

He is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Jason & Marlena Byrd of Bristow; grandchildren Brent Byrd of Okemah and Kenna Byrd of Bristow; five sisters: Bernice Sampley of Blanchard OK, Evelyn Douglass of Los Angeles CA, Justine Moore of Porterville CA, Eileen Moore of Reedley CA, and Betty Ellison of Medford OR; one brother, Keith Byrd, of Detroit MI; numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives, and many friends.

Graveside services will be Wednesday, April 23, 1:00 p.m. at Holdenville Cemetery. Rev. Jon Ewers and Rev. Tom Hopkins are the officiating ministers.

Services are under direction of Fisher Funeral Home of Holdenville. www.fisherfh.net