Elizabeth Eileen Byrd's Obituary
CHARLESTON, IL - Elizabeth Eileen (Wilhoit) Byrd, age 87 of Charleston and formerly of Westfield, passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at the Charleston Rehab and Health Care Center. Funeral Services honoring and celebrating her life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 2, 2011 at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston with Pastor Walter Miller officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be held Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. until Service time. It is requested that in lieu of flowers memorial gifts in her honor be made to the United Methodist Church of Westfield. Gifts may be left on the memorial table at the visitation or services, or mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL 61920. Eileen was born on June 9, 1924 in Oilfield, Illinois a daughter of the late Siebert and Cora (Hammond) Wilhoit. She married Robert C. Byrd on April 21, 1943 in Charleston and they have shared sixty-eight wonderful years of marriage and friendship. She is survived by her husband Bob of Charleston; two sons, Robert W. Byrd and wife Penelope of Bend, Oregon and Richard A. Byrd and wife Pamela of Chaska, Minnesota; two grandchildren, Elizabeth Curl and husband Chris of Mobile, Alabama and Katherine Byrd of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and three great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters. Eileen was a sixteen year employee of Eastern Illinois University and retired in the late 1980's as Assistant to the Director in the Placement Office. Prior to her employment at EIU she worked at the Tinkley Bell Music Store and assisted Bob at Byrd's Cleaners which was a family owned business. Eileen was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church of Westfield and through the years she and Bob have been actively devoted to many of its ministries. They participated in many church activities and due to their great skills in the kitchen making peanut brittle they organized and founded the Peanut Brittle Fund Raiser for the church. Eileen was also actively involved in the Coles County Ladies Home Extension. Eileen had a generous and serving spirit and volunteered at Carle Clinic in Mattoon. She also served as an election judge for Coles County and was a regular participant in the senior exercise program at the Mattoon Senior Center where she made numerous long-lasting friendships. Eileen was a wonderful cook and her delicious pies were always in demand. She was a loving and devoted wife and she and Bob shared many memorable times including serving as Grand Marshalls at the 2011 Westfield Homecoming in August. Her sons and grandchildren will treasure their many memories of a loving and doting mother and grandmother who was always there for them. She will be missed by her family and many friends.Click to view Eileen's memorial video.
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