Mary Rutherford Wefel Byrd, a resident of Mobile, Alabama, was born in Birmingham, AL on March 17, 1935. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman Henry Wefel, III and Willie Mae Lathram Wefel and her husband of 61 years, Robert Lee Byrd, Jr. She is survived by her three daughters, Barkley Brewster Byrd Shreve (Lewis) of Mobile, AL, Catherine Rutherford Byrd Morton (Barry) of Sterrett, AL, and Mary Elizabeth Byrd Favret (Andy) of New Orleans, LA. She is also survived by five grandchildren: Lewis Robert Shreve (Julia), Mary Alice Shreve, Nicholas Byrd Favret, Michael Davis Favret and Mary Dorothy Morton, and one great-grandson James Fulton Shreve.
Mary attended the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA and graduated from the University of Alabama. There she majored in Education, joined Delta Delta Delta sorority and met her future husband on a blind date.
Mary, or “Mamie” to her grandchildren, will be remembered for her love of family and especially her devotion to her grandchildren. She was a prolific letter writer and many remember receiving her thoughtful notes, cards and letters. She enjoyed entertaining, reading, University of Alabama football, and traveling. Mary was an accomplished seamstress and shared her talents with gifts of cross-stitch, needlepoint, smocking, and knitting. She also enjoyed gardening and creating arrangements with the bounty of her yard. Mary’s bridge group provided her with many years of fun and good conversation. Mary had a special place in her heart for her childhood friends and enjoyed many celebrations through the years with her classmates from Leinkauf, Old Shell Road School, and Murphy High School. Her St. Patrick’s Day birthday resulted in many happy shamrock parties.
Mary was a member of Spring Hill Presbyterian Church, the Junior League of Mobile, The Country Club of Mobile and several mystic societies.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Tuesday, May 1 at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church, followed by visitation in the Fellowship Hall. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Spring Hill Presbyterian Church, 10 Westminster Way, Mobile, AL 36608.
