Thelma Bird

Thelma (Dever) Bird, 93, of Monterey, died Tuesday afternoon, March 7, 2000.

She was born July 25, 1906, at Mill Gap, a daughter of Charles S. and Annarine (Wade) Dever.

She was a graduate of Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music and also attended Madison College. She was a retired school teacher, having taught in the Highland County Public Schools. She began a second career as manager of the Highland County Crafts. She belonged to the Retired Teachers Association.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Bird; three brothers, Guilford, Roy and Stanley Dever; and a sister, Annie (Dever) Bussard.

Survivors include a daughter, Mary A. Byrd of Staunton; a son and daughter-in-law, James D. and Frances M. Bird of Cypress, Texas; a sister, Alice Dever of Marlinton, W.Va.; three grandchildren, Jamie Bird-Jeter of Cypress, Vicki Gayhart of Scottsville and David Rexrode of Staunton; a great-grandson, Christopher Nash of Harrisonburg; and nieces and nephews.

A service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at Obaugh Funeral Home by the Rev. Jerry Ginn, with burial in Green Hill Cemetery near Mill Gap.

Pallbearers will be Eric Lightner, Eldon Galford, John Wagner, Garland Dever, John Reynolds and Mike Herold.

Honorary pallbearers will be Nancy Sweitzer, Paige Wagner, Virginia Belle Smith, Pearl McCray, Curtis and Doreen Ralston, Pauline Sullenberger, David Lightner, Sarah Stephenson, Millie Shumate and Lenora Doyle.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Highland County Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 268, Monterey, Va. 24465.