Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Collins for Jessie Allen Byrd, Sr., 79 of Seminary, who passed away on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at his residence.

Elder Joe Lott will officiate at the services with interment to follow in the Bullock Cemetery in Seminary with military rites at graveside. Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Collins will be in charge of the arrangements.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Collins.

Pallbearers will be Kaleb Byrd, Cha Brown, Coty Burrell, Lee Shoemake, Mitch Sanford, Anthony Byrd, and Eddie Sanford.  Honorary pallbearers will be Jack Moss, and Roy Phillips.

Mr. Byrd was born on April 8, 1940 in Seminary, Mississippi. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Mr. Byrd retired from the construction industry after forty plus years of service. He was a United States Army veteran during the Vietnam Conflict.  Mr. Byrd was a member of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edmond and Mavis Mooney Byrd; one sister, Hazel Lee Craft; and two brothers, Grissett Byrd and John Everett Byrd.

Survivors include his wife of fifty-five years, Cora Sue Griffith Byrd of Seminary; three children, Allen Byrd (Rosa) of Hattiesburg, Lesia Byrd Taormina (Brian) of Seminary, and Stacey Byrd (Missy Ainsworth) of Laurel; eight grandchildren, Bethany Brown (Cha), Tayler Shoemake (Lee), Lauren Burrell (Coty), Kaleb Byrd, Katherine Davis, Erin Sanford (Mitch), Emily Byrd, and Eden Byrd; fourteen great-grandchildren; four sisters, Iona Moss, Willene Sanford, Retha Mae Phillips, and Shirley Beasley, all of Seminary; two brothers, Palmer Byrd and Martin Byrd, both of Seminary; and a host of nieces and nephews..

Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at www.billymkingcolonialchapel.com