Mr. Richard Merrill Byrd, 73, of Horntown, husband of Lisa Cooke, passed away on Jan. 7, 2026, in Horntown.
Born on May 18, 1952, in Nassawadox, he was the son of the late Jesse Merrill Byrd and Fannie B. Ballard-Alvis.
Richard worked for Waste Management until he retired in 2012. He was a member of New Church First Baptist Church and loved going when he was well enough. He also enjoyed going to the race track, whether it was drag racing or dirt track.
Other than his wife, Lisa, Richard is survived by a son, Benjamin John Byrd; a sister, Eva Porter, of Sanford; a granddaughter, Brittany Lynn Byrd; and a great-granddaughter, Nova.
There was a time of remembrance at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11, at New Church First Baptist Church.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to New Church First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 237, New Church, VA 23415.
Arrangements were by the Thornton Funeral Home in Parksley.
To sign the guest book online, visit: www.thorntonfuneralhome.net
