L.D. Byrd – Gunter HOF

L.D. Byrd, a man of integrity, honesty, and friendship, has served the Gunter community for over thirty years and is still currently serving the community. A few of his accolades in Gunter include: a current 30 years of service on the Gunter ISD School Board, County Appraisal Board, and Economic Development Council. Whether it is his contribution to the betterment of our schools, your lawn being cut, or a friendly greeting, L.D. has been a lifelong servant to all.

L.D. was born on September 17, 1943 in Stroud Oklahoma, a town that contains about 1,000 more people than Gunter. Byrd has three children, two sons of his own and one son he adopted and raised who he is quite proud of. He’s also fostered many children and has helped them in numerous ways. Byrd had many goals in mind as he raised his children. He said, ”I wanted to raise good children, with integrity. I wanted to give them an opportunity to achieve their goals, along with having a relationship with God, and instill in them a good work ethic.”

Byrd graduated from Stroud High School in 1961. After receiving his high school diploma, he would go on to attend Oklahoma Christian College(1961-1965) where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Bible.  L.D. was also the president of his freshman class, which might have been the first spark of his many years of service to come. Byrd said his first job was helping around the dairy farm he grew up on, whether it was milking the cows or helping out wherever he saw fit, or should we say wherever his parents saw fit. In 1962 he would start a career as a Preacher in Davenport, Oklahoma.. The church he led had a rather small congregation which Mr. Byrd liked because, “I felt like they (smaller congregations) need the most help.” In addition to garnering an income, his careers gave him a chance to work with people and be able to positively influence people’s lives.

Although Byrd spent a portion of his life living in Oklahoma, he eventually found his way to Gunter through his sister who lived here. The Church of Christ in Gunter needed him, and his mom was being cared for at Gunter’s renowned nursing home. Once he found his way to Gunter, he never left, and for that the citizen’s of Gunter are thankful.

L.D has accomplished many things, but Mr. Byrd had a couple that he is most proud of such as the day he adopted his son, and being able to raise his children into the people they are today. All L.D wanted in life for his children was to give them an opportunity to achieve their goals and have a relationship with God. He also embraces his accomplishment of being apart of Gunter ISD and helping when it was nothing to what it is today.

L.D has been a part of the Gunter community for years you may know him as the guy that mows lawns, or the guy that has a name plaque in the GISD administration building, but who L.D really is, is a small town guy that follows the cross and trusts God to lead him where he is needed next .

Guest Authors: Noah Williams and Colson Stovall