ELKHART -- Lois Marguerite Erickson Byrd, 83, of 28070 C.R. 24 West, Apt. 903, and formerly of Ingram, Texas, passed away Tuesday (May 30, 2006) at 12:45 a.m. at Elkhart General Hospital of natural causes.

Lois was born in Peoria, Ill., on Aug. 5, 1922, to the late Jesse Grover and Edna (King) Goin. On Aug. 19, 1944, she married C.W. "Jack" Erickson in Peoria. He died Nov. 22, 1978, in Kerrville, Texas. She then married Robert Byrd on Sept. 8, 1979, in Kerrville. He died in Kerrville on Aug. 27, 2004.

Lois is survived by her sons, Karl L. (Margaret) Erickson of Granger and Michael W. (Claudia) Erickson of New Lenox, Ill.; grandchildren, Tiffany (Jeff) White of Indianapolis, Jack Erickson of Mishawaka, Rose Erickson of Granger, Denise Proper and her husband, Ray Esposito, of North Port, Fla., and Adam (Vikki) Erickson of Lockport, Ill.

Lois is also survived by seven great-grandchildren along with her stepson, Donald P. Byrd of San Antonio, Texas; her stepdaughter, Mary "Pidgie" (Christopher) Stone of Ingram; and two stepgrandchildren, Sarah Stone of Boerne, Texas and Rachel Stone of Ingram.

Lois also leaves behind her sister, Elaine (Mike) Colwell of Sun City, Calif.; and her brother, Shorty (Pat) Goin of Phoenix, Ariz.

Lois was preceded in death by her brothers, Roland and Earl Goin; and sisters, Alta Rettke, Harriet Martine and Grace Fugate.

Mrs. Byrd retired from the Engineering Department at the Caterpillar Tractor Co. in Peoria and formerly worked as the office manager at the Kerrville Bus Co., Kerrville.

Lois loved the lord with her heart and was an active and longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Ingram, where she served as a board member and was an adult bible teacher. She was also the former director for (CAM) Christian Area Ministries in Kerrville.

There will be a memorial service to celebrate her life at 6:30 p.m. Friday (June 2, 2006) at the Joliet First Church of the Nazarene, 1009 S. Briggs St., Joliet, IL 60433. Memorial services will also be held at a later date at the First Presbyterian Church of Ingram. At her request, cremation has taken place with private disposition at a later date in Texas.

Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, assisted the family with arrangements, where online condolences may be sent by visiting www.billingsfuneralhome.com.

The family requests that memorials be directed to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 629, Ingram, TX 78025.