Bonnie Byrd

Bonnie Parrish Byrd, 63, of the McGee’s Crossroads community died peacefully at home on April 14, 2017 surrounded by her beloved and devoted family. A Funeral Service will be held 3:00 PM Tuesday at Johnson Memorial Church.  Officiating will be Revs. R.B. Parrish and Murray King.  The family will receive friends 6:00 PM-8:00 PM Monday at Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Benson, NC. Mrs. Byrd and her husband, Johnny Roscoe Byrd, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary in September. She is survived by her husband, a son, John Collin Byrd, and his wife, Misty Jenkins Byrd, also from McGee’s Crossroads, and a daughter, Emily Byrd Stanley, and her husband, Scott Stanley, who reside in Four Oaks. She leaves behind four beautiful and adored granddaughters, Olivia Byrd, Audrey Byrd, Kayley Stanley, and Ava Jean Stanley. She also leaves behind her first “grandchildren,” her step grandsons, Jordan Stanley and Dale Stanley, who also called her “Gigi.” She is also survived by her mother, Norma Hall Parrish, and a sister, Lisa Parrish Barnes, of the McGee’s Crossroads community. She has two brothers, Tony Curtis Parrish of Clayton, and Michael Brittain Parrish of Erwin, as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Elder Curtis Brittain Parrish. Mrs. Byrd graduated from South Johnston High in 1971 and received a BS in Elementary Education in 1975, followed by a Master’s Degree in Education, from Campbell University. She was a Kindergarten teacher for most of her 32 year career. She taught at Glendale-Chapel in Kenly, Benson Elementary, and Vance Elementary in Garner, retiring to be a stay-at-home grandmother to her grand girls in 2008. Mrs. Byrd is remembered by the hundreds of students she taught because of her kindness, sincerity, and ability to ensure that every child succeeded and became confident learners.             In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to her granddaughters’ schools, Buies Creek Elementary or McGee’s Crossroads Elementary, to provide cultural arts programs and presentations that are not included in county funding.