header 1
header 2
header 3

Joyce Jordan Byrd

Profile Updated: September 7, 2021
Class Year:
1969
City and ST:
Barnett, MO USA
Spouse/Partner:
James Terrell Byrd, III
Homepage:
Occupation:
Homemaker
Children:
Three boys, one girl - Craig, 1975, Allen, 1979, Adam, 1985, Susannah, 1990. Two granddaughters - Natalie, More…2007, and Lily, 2010. One grandson - Azariah, 2007.
Biography, Stories, or Comments:

Born May 9, 1951, as the 10th of 12 children in Montgomery, I attended Janie Lou Rives Elementary, Baldwin Junior High, then on to Lanier. After graduation in 1969, I worked for the Montgomery Board of Realtors as the Executive Secretarial Assistant. In 1970, I moved to Provo, Utah, to be near friends and worked at a bank. Moving back to Montgomery for the summer, I took a position as a Clerk-Stenographer with the Alabama Department of Safety Education and Public Relations. I was the only secretary for 13 District Troopers and three administrative officers. I co-edited and published the state-wide departmental magazine. I took a stenographer stint in Governor George Wallace's office at the State Capitol during that time. I stayed with the Troopers four years. In 1974, I married a military man and began having my family, moving to many different assignments over the next few decades (New Jersey, Washington State, Arizona, Texas). With my skills in typing and shorthand, I never really gave college a serious thought, as I was highly employable. As it turned out, after divorce and moving back to Provo, Utah, and being a single parent beginning in 1996, I had an opportunity to try my hand at college. In May of 2009, I graduated from Utah Valley University with a BA in English, Literature, and Creative Writing. I began substitute teaching at local elementary and junior high schools and did well at that. Within a couple of months after graduating from college, my first boyfriend, Jimmy Byrd, who I knew in 1966-68, and I re-connected via Facebook. After communicating via phone and e-mail for a while, we were married in April, 2011, 41 years after he first asked me to! We are very happy, at LONG last, living back in Orem, Utah, near my kids and grandkids, where Jimmy hopes to retire very soon. Update: Jimmy has just retired (2021) and we have our home now in Provo, Utah, near my children. My brother, Warren, also a 1969 graduate of Lanier, was buried today in Shorter, Alabama.

Stories while at Lanier :

I was the fastest typist at Lanier at 116 wpm, so I didn't have to take the second year of typing as a result. Mr. Gauntt thought I needed to deal with Math more, but I still couldn't quite grasp the concepts. (I did finally pass Algebra in college though!). I was also the fastest in shorthand at 147 wpm, which helped me land some pretty high-level jobs over the years. (Now, shorthand is virtually obsolete and with computers, accuracy is not as demanding with Spellcheck, etc.) My best friends in high school were Sherri Vann (Sellers) and Steve Orange, a junior, who took me to the senior dance featuring Billy Joe Royal. We got into so much trouble in study hall gabbing away. I don't think I would have survived school without his friendship. I loved school, though, and have many happy memories of going to Lanier. The many successful football games were among many of those memories. Some of my favorite teachers were JoAnn Lucci, Col. Loy Singleton, Nancy Jacobs, Lucy Price, Ted Jackson, Ms. Graydon and others.

Joyce's Latest Interactions

Hide Comments
Mar
18
Mar 18, 2024 at 1:22 PM

Another year gone by for us (sigh...). I haven't seen any posts on here from you since 2019, so I hope you are still hanging in there. Our 55th Lanier reunion is set for July 11, 12, and 13, as far as I know. My husband and I will be there. He will turn 80 that week! Here's wishing you a wonderful birthday! Please let us hear from you. Take care.??

Nov
17
Nov 17, 2023 at 11:20 AM

Bob passed away the same day as my brother.

Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May
09
May 09, 2023 at 3:33 AM
Mar 18, 2023 at 5:31 PM

Happy birthday once again Johnny! Have a wonderful day!

Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May 09, 2022 at 3:33 AM
Joyce Jordan Byrd added a comment on Profile. New comment added.
Mar 07, 2022 at 12:40 PM

Posted on: Mar 07, 2022 at 12:40 PM

Dec 27, 2021 at 1:17 PM

Happy birthday Linda!

Sep 07, 2021 at 1:34 PM
Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May 09, 2021 at 3:33 AM
Joyce Jordan Byrd posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 12, 2022 at 9:18 AM

Posted on: Mar 16, 2021 at 12:01 PM

Happy birthday Johnny! Hope you are well. ??

Nov 24, 2020 at 12:25 PM

Happy birthday Bob! I hope you and your family are well. I was sorry to hear about Donna Reynolds' passing. I wonder who will be able to put together our next Lanier reunion? Do you know if we're going to have a 55th or not in 2024? Have a great day!

Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May 09, 2020 at 3:33 AM
Nov 24, 2019 at 3:41 PM

Hope you're having a wonderful birthday Bob. Nice to see you at the 50th.

Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May 09, 2019 at 3:33 AM
Joyce Jordan Byrd changed "Now" picture.
May 07, 2019 at 12:05 PM
Joyce Jordan Byrd changed profile picture.
May 07, 2019 at 12:04 PM
Joyce Jordan Byrd changed "Then" picture.
May 07, 2019 at 11:43 AM
Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May 09, 2018 at 3:33 AM
Joyce Jordan Byrd has a birthday today.
May 09, 2017 at 3:33 AM
Joyce Jordan Byrd posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 19, 2019 at 9:49 AM

Posted on: Mar 18, 2017 at 2:05 PM

Happy birthday Johnny! Do you realize I have known you for 59 years? We were in elementary school together at Rives, junior high at Baldwin, and Senior high at Lanier. We were also neighbors when you lived on Herron and I on Hanrick Streets. I am married to my first boyfriend I had at 15,raised 6 kids, and now live in Missouri. I realize you will probably never see this message, but I just wanted you to know you were well remembered. Have a great day. Remember that our 50th class reunion is in 2019.hope you can make it!

Hide Comments
Posted: May 23, 2014 at 10:53 PM
Joyce's 2009 graduation from Utah Valley University.