A Celebration of Life ceremony for Deacon Arvis Byrd, 75, will be on Tuesday, August 14,2012 at 11 a.m. at New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Viewing will be from 6-8 on Monday, August 13th at New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Burial will be in Shady Grove Cemetery in Gary, Texas.

Mr. Byrd attended Pleasant Hill Public School in Tenaha "Woods Community" and was a faithful member of New Jerusalem Baptist Church; where he served as an Usher and Deacon.

He met and married Avia Diann Wall on August 5, 1978. They held their marriage vows for 34 years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, and two brothers.

Those left to cherish his memories are: his wife; two daughters: Sondra Yvette Byrd-Williams of Marrietta, GA, Avian Derese Byrd of McKinney, TX; two sons: Marcus Cornelius Byrd of Power Springs, GA and Arvaisus DeAunte Byrd of Longview, TX; eight sisters: Ella Stewart of California, Murlene Kemp and Evon Bradley of Dallas, TX, Artella Seth of Littlefield, TX, Avias (Charles) Croff of Lubbock, TX, Lillie (Kenneth) Hightower of Dallas, TX, Brenda (Timothy)Sanders, and Sandra (John) Price of Houston, TX; two brothers: L.C. (Kim) Carr, Jr. of San Antonio, TX and Leonard Carr of Dallas, TX; 6 grandchildren; 2 godchildren: Shirley Odom and Sabrina Graves; nieces, nephews and many other family members and friends.