Charlene Garland Byrd

Mrs. Charlene Garland Byrd, of Gilmer County, died  Friday, Aug. 5, after a lengthy illness with heart disease.  She was 89.

She loved her Lord, her family and her native north Georgia hills.

She was born in the Whitestone community of south Gilmer County, and graduated from Gilmer High School. She moved to DeKalb County in the 1950s and spent her career as a telephone operator with Southern Bell — later AT&T. Upon her retirement in the 1980s, she returned to Gilmer County and lived in the Whitestone and Ellijay areas the remainder of her long life.

She is survived by son, Robert E. Byrd Jr., and daughter-in-law, Michelle DeHaven, of Jekyll Island; granddaugher, Jennifer Byrd, of Long Beach, Calif.; sister, Brenda G. Richards, of Ellijay; brothers, Ben Garland, of Jasper and Rex Garland of Ellijay; and a huge family of nieces, nephews, in-laws and cousins.

She is preceded in death by parents, Jesse Garland and Pearl Teem Garland; sisters, Christine G. Stover and Betty G. Turner; brothers. Charles, Howard and Robert Garland; and infant brother, Gary Garland.

A graveside service was held at noon Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church with her great-nephew, the Rev. Dalton Morrow, officiating.

Bernhardt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.