Sadly, Mom died December 6, 2018, 3 ½ months short of her 100th birthday, a milestone she truly wanted to reach! She just got tired. Mom, born March 19, 1919, to Inez Gose Lee and Colonel Arthur Hurd Lee, in Hennessey, OK, and raised in OK, Honolulu, and NC, attended Duke University, 2 years, where she was a reporter/cartoonist for Duke’s newspaper. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Oklahoma University with a BA degree in Art; teaching staff of American Institute of Banking, Alumnae Admission Advisory Committee for Duke University; President, Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae; President, Phi Beta Kappa Alumni; awarded Phi Beta Kappa of Year ’97; Chairman Women’s Division, Association for Responsible Government; Director, Volunteers Council of OKC; State Advisory Committee, OK Landmarks Project; VP and Board of Directors, Legal Aid Society; Committee, Capital Improvements; Chairman, OKC Board of Adjustment; Chairman, OK Crime Commission; Ex-Officio Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, Association of Central OK Governments; OKC Criminal Justice Council; Judicial Advisory Committee; Director OKC Office, Senator David L. Boren; League of Women Voters; Director of Volunteers and Board of Trustees, Presbyterian Hospital; Chairman Women’s Association, OKC Art Center; Co-chairman Residential Division and Board, United Appeal; Board member Community Council; Board member and Officer, Junior League of OKC; Chairman, OKC Charity Horse Show; Daughters of American Revolution; President, Colonial Dames of America; Philomathea Study Club; President, Wednesday Review Club; OKC Zoo Association; Board member and Officer, Free to Live Animal Sanctuary; Board, OKC Pet Task Force of Citizens Advisory Committee; Japanese-American Student Exchange Committee; Kirkpatrick center Associates; Trustee, Kirkpatrick Foundation; Twentieth Century Club; and, President, OK Art Council. She was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. On a personal note, Mom and Dad were married 57 years before Dad passed away in 1999. Their children are Virginia Byrd Henry (Mrs. Ben) and Jerome Whitney Byrd, Jr. Grandchildren include Alyssa Henry MacMiller (Mrs. Jim); Benson Lee Henry, Married to Dr. Gwen Corbett; Meredith Byrd Abbett, (Mrs. Whalen); Kristin Byrd Galik, (Mrs. John); and Whitney Ann Byrd. Great grandchildren are Kirby and Wesley MacMiller; Hollis, Barrett, and Hudson Henry; Rylee, Levi and Wyatt Abbett; and, Morgan Galik. Also, we are deeply indebted to her caregivers, Curtiesha Stewart, Betty Luke, and Cindy LaReese. Should you so desire, memorial donations can be made to OETA, OK Historial Soceity, OKC Museum of Art, and Free to Live. Mom’s true passion was serving the under-served, where she often delivered water and other necessities to families she met while feeding stray cats and dogs downtown. She loved going to estate sales, playing bridge, and was an inveterate reader of biographies. There will be a burial service at Hahn-Cook/ Street and Draper, 1:00 pm, Tuesday December 11, 2018. Rest in peace, Mom…you’ve earned it!
