JoAnn Byrd

JoAnn Byrd, 92, of Kearney, MO passed away January 6, 2026 with many members of her loving family by her side.

JoAnn was born July 28, 1933, in Kansas City, MO, to Clifford Lee Copeland and Eva (Peak) Copeland. They lived on a small farm near Belton, MO. Eva passed when JoAnn was just three years old. Clifford later remarried JoAnn's loving step-mother, Mabel Copeland, and they moved to the Kansas City area. Mabel continued to raise JoAnn and her sister, Winnie, after Clifford passed when JoAnn was 15. JoAnn's other two sisters had also passed by this time.

JoAnn attended Westport High School, where she met her future husband, Richard (Rick) Byrd. Rick would say she would walk past his desk intentionally, which she denied. Rick said she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Soon after JoAnn graduated, the couple married and relocated to California as Rick was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. The couple later moved back to Kansas City.

JoAnn was a dedicated and loving mother to her three daughters and one son, as well as her nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren (with another on the way, and 2 great-great grandchildren (with another on the way). JoAnn was also the full-time caregiver for her step-mother, Mabel. JoAnn worked for several years at Montgomery Wards located in the Ward Parkway Shopping Center. JoAnn then worked for many years at Hallmark Cards, initially at the downtown Kansas City location, and then at the Distribution Center in Liberty, MO. She spent those years in Liberty speeding around the plant, with boxes piled high, in her Taylor Dunn.

JoAnn was a very generous, loving, energetic and fiercely independent woman. She was an amazing hostess, never letting anyone leave her house without being offered food and drink multiple times. She doted on everyone, and was very selfless, always putting others first. JoAnn never lost her keen sense of humor or sharp mind.

Survivors include her children: Vickie Schreiner (Tom) Kearney, MO, Debra Woodling (Ron) Holden, MO, Rick Byrd Jr. (Becky) Kearney, MO and Linda Bush (Kelley) Holt, MO; grandchildren: Jeff Schreiner (Crystal), Karen Trusler (Jason), TaMarra Woodling Rodriguez (Nicole), Christian Woodling (Liz), Renea Kinney, Tracy Bush (Jeff), Stacey Ferguson, Cody Bush (Sabrina) and Kellie Jo Jackson (Tim); great grandchildren:

Alex Schreiner, Wyatt Schreiner, Riley Schreiner, Kamryn Trusler, Kaylie Trusler, Kelcey Trusler, Sophie Bianco, Kirstin Bustamante (Carlos), Zoe Patterson (Nate), Toby Kinney, Maddison Kinney, Raine Crow, (Brandon), Rose Byrd, Desiree Ferguson, Dakota Ferguson, William (Dalton) Jasnowski, David Wardlow, Wyatt Bush and Ethan Bush; great-great grandchildren: Valor Bustamante and Rome Bustamante. JoAnn was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 71 years, the love of her life, Richard Byrd; parents, Clifford and Eva Copeland; step-mother Mabel Copeland; and sisters Janice Copeland, Betty Davidson and Winifred (Winnie) Copeland.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She fought so hard to overcome many medical issues the past several years, as she didn't want to leave her family, but she was ready to be reunited with Rick. She missed him so. We take peace knowing they are together again.