Gracie Irene Byrd, 69, of Lonoke, passed into peace on Sunday, February 2, 2014, at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock.
She was born on September 29, 1944, in Little Rock to the late Albert Porter and Ruth Marie Ault. She attended Joe T. Robinson and Central High Schools in Little Rock and earned her GED. She married the late Dwight "Red" Hartsell in 1962.
She worked as a cashier throughout her life and found much joy in serving her customers and getting to know them. She often said it was her customers that made her job fun. Recently, she had been attending Lonoke Assembly of God. She enjoyed visiting with loved ones, meeting and making new friends, decorating for the holidays, watching movies, listening to country music, dancing, and most recently, watching wrestling with her grandson. She took great pride in her family and always encouraged them to do their best. Her loved ones will remember her for her smile, for her laughter, and for welcoming anyone she met into her heart. As one of her friends remarked, she was aptly named, being full of grace and graciousness.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Red, her aunts and uncles, and her loved ones, Arthur James and Clement Byrd. She is survived by two children, Matt James of Lonoke and Ashley Pharr (Zach) of Bentonville; two grandchildren, Lexi and Will James of Lonoke; one brother, Jerry Gage (Juanita) of Wrens, GA; one sister, Berta Shemwell (Rick) of Bryant; and a host of family and friends who loved her as much as she loved them.
A celebration of her life will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2014, at 2 p.m. at Dial and Dudley Funeral Home in Bryant with burial at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, at the funeral home.