May 13, 2002 - Batesville Guard
HARDY - The Rev. Ralph Bird, 81, of Little Rock, formerly of Hardy, died Thursday, May 9, 2002.
He was born Dec. 18, 1920, in Fort Smith. As a child, he attended First Lutheran Church and School in Fort Smith. He attended St. John's College in Kansas and received a Master of Divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Upon graduation in June 1947, he was ordained as city missionary in St. Louis. On June 8, 1947, he married Virginia Twillman in St. Louis. He first served as assistant pastor at Shorehaven Lutheran Church in Cleveland. From 1950 to 1960 he served as pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Bedford, Ind., and he served at Peace Lutheran Church in Garland, Texas, from 1960 to 1965.
In Little Rock, he was senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church from 1965 to 1975. He was a member of the mission board of the Mid-South District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. While on this board he was instrumental in starting many of the area Lutheran churches, including: Celebration of Faith Lutheran in southwest Little Rock, Lord of Life Lutheran in west Little Rock and Hope Lutheran in Jacksonville. He was also involved in the beginnings of four churches in Camden, Cherokee Village, Horseshoe Bend and Pocahontas. He retired at the age of 76.
He was a member of the Kiwanis Club where he also served as club officer and board member. He served as lieutenant governor for the Missouri-Arkansas district and in 2001 became an honorary member of the Cherokee Village club.
Survivors include two sons, Mark Bird of Little Rock and Thomas Bird of Kansas; a daughter, Gloria Bird Cates of Little Rock; a sister, Joan Ussery of Fort Smith; a brother, Wayne T. Bird of Alabama; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1997.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Peace Lutheran Church in Cherokee Village. Arrangements are by Heath Funeral Home Oak Hill Chapel of Hardy.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Bird Scholarship Fund in care of First Lutheran Church in Fort Smith.
HARDY - The Rev. Ralph Bird, 81, of Little Rock, formerly of Hardy, died Thursday, May 9, 2002.
He was born Dec. 18, 1920, in Fort Smith. As a child, he attended First Lutheran Church and School in Fort Smith. He attended St. John's College in Kansas and received a Master of Divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Upon graduation in June 1947, he was ordained as city missionary in St. Louis. On June 8, 1947, he married Virginia Twillman in St. Louis. He first served as assistant pastor at Shorehaven Lutheran Church in Cleveland. From 1950 to 1960 he served as pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Bedford, Ind., and he served at Peace Lutheran Church in Garland, Texas, from 1960 to 1965.
In Little Rock, he was senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church from 1965 to 1975. He was a member of the mission board of the Mid-South District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. While on this board he was instrumental in starting many of the area Lutheran churches, including: Celebration of Faith Lutheran in southwest Little Rock, Lord of Life Lutheran in west Little Rock and Hope Lutheran in Jacksonville. He was also involved in the beginnings of four churches in Camden, Cherokee Village, Horseshoe Bend and Pocahontas. He retired at the age of 76.
He was a member of the Kiwanis Club where he also served as club officer and board member. He served as lieutenant governor for the Missouri-Arkansas district and in 2001 became an honorary member of the Cherokee Village club.
Survivors include two sons, Mark Bird of Little Rock and Thomas Bird of Kansas; a daughter, Gloria Bird Cates of Little Rock; a sister, Joan Ussery of Fort Smith; a brother, Wayne T. Bird of Alabama; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1997.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Peace Lutheran Church in Cherokee Village. Arrangements are by Heath Funeral Home Oak Hill Chapel of Hardy.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Bird Scholarship Fund in care of First Lutheran Church in Fort Smith.
May 13, 2002 - Batesville Guard
HARDY - The Rev. Ralph Bird, 81, of Little Rock, formerly of Hardy, died Thursday, May 9, 2002.
He was born Dec. 18, 1920, in Fort Smith. As a child, he attended First Lutheran Church and School in Fort Smith. He attended St. John's College in Kansas and received a Master of Divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Upon graduation in June 1947, he was ordained as city missionary in St. Louis. On June 8, 1947, he married Virginia Twillman in St. Louis. He first served as assistant pastor at Shorehaven Lutheran Church in Cleveland. From 1950 to 1960 he served as pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Bedford, Ind., and he served at Peace Lutheran Church in Garland, Texas, from 1960 to 1965.
In Little Rock, he was senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church from 1965 to 1975. He was a member of the mission board of the Mid-South District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. While on this board he was instrumental in starting many of the area Lutheran churches, including: Celebration of Faith Lutheran in southwest Little Rock, Lord of Life Lutheran in west Little Rock and Hope Lutheran in Jacksonville. He was also involved in the beginnings of four churches in Camden, Cherokee Village, Horseshoe Bend and Pocahontas. He retired at the age of 76.
He was a member of the Kiwanis Club where he also served as club officer and board member. He served as lieutenant governor for the Missouri-Arkansas district and in 2001 became an honorary member of the Cherokee Village club.
Survivors include two sons, Mark Bird of Little Rock and Thomas Bird of Kansas; a daughter, Gloria Bird Cates of Little Rock; a sister, Joan Ussery of Fort Smith; a brother, Wayne T. Bird of Alabama; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1997.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Peace Lutheran Church in Cherokee Village. Arrangements are by Heath Funeral Home Oak Hill Chapel of Hardy.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Bird Scholarship Fund in care of First Lutheran Church in Fort Smith.
HARDY - The Rev. Ralph Bird, 81, of Little Rock, formerly of Hardy, died Thursday, May 9, 2002.
He was born Dec. 18, 1920, in Fort Smith. As a child, he attended First Lutheran Church and School in Fort Smith. He attended St. John's College in Kansas and received a Master of Divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Upon graduation in June 1947, he was ordained as city missionary in St. Louis. On June 8, 1947, he married Virginia Twillman in St. Louis. He first served as assistant pastor at Shorehaven Lutheran Church in Cleveland. From 1950 to 1960 he served as pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Bedford, Ind., and he served at Peace Lutheran Church in Garland, Texas, from 1960 to 1965.
In Little Rock, he was senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church from 1965 to 1975. He was a member of the mission board of the Mid-South District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. While on this board he was instrumental in starting many of the area Lutheran churches, including: Celebration of Faith Lutheran in southwest Little Rock, Lord of Life Lutheran in west Little Rock and Hope Lutheran in Jacksonville. He was also involved in the beginnings of four churches in Camden, Cherokee Village, Horseshoe Bend and Pocahontas. He retired at the age of 76.
He was a member of the Kiwanis Club where he also served as club officer and board member. He served as lieutenant governor for the Missouri-Arkansas district and in 2001 became an honorary member of the Cherokee Village club.
Survivors include two sons, Mark Bird of Little Rock and Thomas Bird of Kansas; a daughter, Gloria Bird Cates of Little Rock; a sister, Joan Ussery of Fort Smith; a brother, Wayne T. Bird of Alabama; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1997.
The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Peace Lutheran Church in Cherokee Village. Arrangements are by Heath Funeral Home Oak Hill Chapel of Hardy.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Bird Scholarship Fund in care of First Lutheran Church in Fort Smith.
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