IN MEMORIAM: Katherine Byrd, 98;

Nurse Ran Dairy Farm In Pierstown

PIERSTOWN – Katherine Byrd, 98, a public health nurse in Delaware County who later ran a Pierstown dairy farm with her husband, died Friday afternoon, Oct. 6, 2017, in Blairsville, Ga.

A native of Long Island, she was born June 18, 1919, in Glendale, a daughter of John R. and Catherine A. (Endrich) Loeffler.

After graduating from Hicksville High School in 1937, she worked for eight years at the Bank of Hicksville.  In 1945, she entered Hartwick College School of Nursing, graduated in 1949, and then worked for a year as an apprentice public health nurse for the City of Oneonta.

In 1950-51, Katherine studied at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.  She was licensed as a public health nurse in New York State in 1951, and worked for Delaware County and Andes Central School.

During that time she met Roger Avery Byrd, and they were married Oct. 12, 1951,  at Atonement Lutheran Church in Oneonta, with the Rev. Dr. Gustav Nordberg officiating.

For a time, Katherine and Roger had a farm in Fall Clove in Delaware County, moved to Oregon in 1962, returning to their native New York in 1967 and buying a dairy farm in Pierstown the following year.

In the fall of 1982, they retired and moved back out West, this time to Sparks, Nev.  Following Roger’s death Aug. 9, 1995, Katherine moved to Crystal River, Fla., they to Georgia to be near her son, Russell.

A life-long Confirmed Lutheran, she was a member of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartwick Seminary during her years in Otsego County. After moving to Florida, she became a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hernando.

Katherine is survived by a son, Russell Byrd and wife, Christine of Blairsville, Ga.; a daughter, Amy Foutch and husband, John, of Laurens; four grandchildren, Steven and Nicholas Byrd, Charles (Jenni) Foutch and Catherine (Phil) Schultz; a great grandson, Whitaker Foutch; a brother, John Loeffler and wife, Celia; and many loving nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband of 43 years, she was predeceased by her sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Victor Hildebrandt.

The Rite of the Burial of the Dead will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 21, 2017, at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartwick Seminary, with the Rev. Paul R. Messner, S.T.S., pastor officiating.

The Service of Committal and Burial will follow in Hartwick Seminary Cemetery.

As an alternative to flowers, Katherine’s family would appreciate memorial donations in her name to Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4636 State Highway 28, Hartwick Seminary, NY  13326.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.