Billy Joe Byrd

Funeral Services for Billy Joe Byrd, 58, former Clinton resident will be held 2:00 P.M., Monday, September 17, 2012 in the new Cheyenne Arapaho Community Center east of Clinton and burial will conclude in the Clinton Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Billy Joe Byrd was born March 3, 1954 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and he passed away early Thursday, September 14, 2012 in his Stilwell, OK residence. Billy Joe was raised in Clinton and Butler and graduating from Butler High School in 1972. He worked for brief time in the oil field doing seismographic work. He was married to Lucy Salas in Clinton. He began doing mission work and he was instrumental in starting the Indian Baptist Church in Weatherford, OK, he moved to Montana in 1992 where he started congregation on the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation and he later settled at Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation in 2003 and he has served them until failing health forced him to retire. He had recently been relocated in Stilwell, Oklahoma to be close to family. He traveled extensively doing ministry work, he enjoyed fishing, working on cars and he love to visit and fellowship with family and friends, but the passion in his life was spending time with his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Bonita Martinez and his brother, Johnny Byrd. He is survived by two daughters, Amy Byrd, Havre, MT and Kayla Byrd, Clinton, OK and a son, Bruce Byrd, Harlem, MT; three sisters, Nadene Shell and husband, Stanley, Stilwell, OK, Linda Byrd, OKC, OK and Wanda Martinez and husband, Pedro, Cordell, OK, two brothers, Amos Byrd and wife, Sharon, Hammon, OK. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Swayann Byrd, Joey Byrd, Kobe Hammond and Zoei Hammond