Howard Matthew Byrd, II

It is with great sadness that we announce that Howard Matthew Byrd, II of Suffolk, Va., passed away on December 30, 2024. He was born on November 3, 1946, in Darlington County, the son of the late Daniel Edgar and Estelle Fields Byrd. Howard was raised on the family farm located in the Byrdtown area of Darlington County. 

 He was predeceased by his parents; two brothers, William Edgar Byrd and Clarence Fields Byrd; and two sisters, Norma Byrd Rudisill and Margaret Byrd White. He is survived by his wife Janet Gibson Byrd of Yorktown, Va.; his son Daniel McMillan Byrd (Sandee) of Virginia Beach, Va.; daughter Jennifer Byrd Moore (Raymond) of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; granddaughter Caroline Moore Gold (Christopher) of Atlanta, Ga.; and great-grandson Oliver Ray Gold. In addition, he is survived by several nieces and nephews. Howard is also survived by two dear cousins: Brenda Heiberg of North Carolina, and Mike Betts (Debbie) of California. 

 Howard was a graduate of Hartsville High School and Florence-Darlington Tech. He was a long-time resident of Georgetown, S.C. He spent his entire professional career working for the Charleston Naval Shipyard in Charleston, S.C., until it was closed in 1996. He then transferred to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, retiring in 2010 with over 42 years of service. 

 Howard was a fighter with an amazing determination to survive the most challenging health issues. In late 1993, Howard was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was given a grim diagnosis with almost no possibility of survival. A young doctor at MUSC offered him a chance to participate in a Phase I clinical trial for a new combination of chemo treatments. Knowing this was his only chance for survival, he took the treatments and was the first person ever cured with this groundbreaking procedure. Later in life, he suffered several heart attacks and survived a massive aneurysm in his brain. He lived four-and-a-half years after the aneurysm, while the average survival is around a year. 

 Howard was a person with many interests and seemed to constantly start new projects and learn new hobbies. He enjoyed watching college football and even, in his last days, Howard remained a life-long fan of Clemson football. He loved working on his cars and seemed to always be searching for his 10 mm wrench.

In his youth, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He ran many races including the first Cooper River Bridge Run. After retirement, he acquired a Master Gardener designation, took yoga classes, and constructed his pergola overlooking Burbage Lake. As he aged, he continued to walk around the perimeter of Burbage Lake twice daily. His bucket list included converting the family minivan into a camper with an elaborate slide-out storage compartment so he and Janet (with the dogs) could drive across the country to visit many national parks. They actually made a round trip all the way to San Francisco and visited Mike and Debbie! Janet has declared that she never wants to see another rock as long as she lives! 

 Howard will forever be missed by his family and will always be remembered as a dedicated husband and an amazing father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. 

 Graveside services will be held on February 15, 2025, at 11 AM at Bethlehem Methodist Church, 2236 Bethlehem Rd., Hartsville, S.C. 29550.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in the name of Howard M. Byrd via a check to Bethlehem Methodist Church at the address above. 

 Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home and Crematory in Virginia and Norton Funeral Home and Crematory of Hartsville are honored to be of service to the Byrd Family.