Senator Byrd's wife of 69 years has died.

[Alizaryn]

(If this is a dupe ignore it but I have not read anything in regards to it.)

Senator Byrd is a treasure to us and whether you agree with every life decision he has made the fact that he has been willing to change, grow and yet stay solid in his defense of our Constitution makes him a RARE treasure.

He stole my soul and support the day that he chased Senator Frist off of the floor with his little pocket Constitution in his hand!

I cannot imagine the pain that he is in after spending a lifetime with a partner that he treasured and wanted share his loss with all of you.


Here a copy of the email I received....


As some of you may know, Senator Byrd's wife of almost 69 years, Erma Ora James Byrd, passed away over the weekend after a long battle with illness. Senator Byrd and members of their family were with her when she died.

Erma was Senator Byrd's life partner, confidant, and greatest supporter. She met her husband while they were students at Mark Twain School. They were married in 1937, when both were only 19 years old.

Byrd said of his wife on the occasion of their 65th wedding anniversary in 2002: "Erma and I are complete and whole, a total that is more than the sum of its parts. In my life, Erma Ora Byrd is the diamond. She is a priceless treasure, a multifaceted woman of great insight and wisdom, of quiet humor and common sense."

"I wish that more people could know the joy I have had in finding one's soul mate early in life and then sharing that deep companionship over many happy years," Byrd said.

The daughter of a coal miner, Erma Byrd met presidents and senators, kings, queens, and other celebrities. Yet, she never lost the commonsense values that she gained growing up in West Virginia.

Mrs. Byrd never sought the limelight. She did not give her first interview until 1982 -- 30 years after her husband was first elected to the Congress. In that interview with the Charleston Daily Mail, she said, "I leave the politics to Robert. The people elected him, not me."

The Byrds are members of the Crab Orchard Baptist Church in Raleigh County, West Virginia, where they were baptized in the summer of 1944.

Throughout her life, Mrs. Byrd focused on her family. The Byrds have been blessed with two daughters, six grandchildren (one deceased), and six great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Byrd has also been a great advocate for children in West Virginia. Many awards have been conferred upon her. But a few stand out: her 1999 selection as "Mother of the Year" by the Thunder on the Tygart Foundation, presented in Grafton at the birthplace of Mother's Day; the naming of two academic scholarship programs -- one at Marshall University and another at West Virginia University; and her selection as part of the inaugural class of the "Graduates of Distinction" of the West Virginia Education Alliance, all highlighting her commitment to helping West Virginia's young people get ahead in life.

Erma Byrd's life is a model for young women in West Virginia and all across the nation. Her love of family, her quiet determination, her fine sense of humor, and her simple elegance have left their mark on all who met her.

We have received many inquiries from friends and supporters of the Byrds on how they can share their sentiments.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Erma's name to the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center at West Virginia University. (WVU Health Sciences Center; Development Office G-106; P.O. Box 9008; Morgantown, W.Va.; 26506. The fund number is 2V186.) Donations also can be made to local animal shelters and the Humane Society of the United States.

Please keep Senator Byrd and his family in your prayers in the coming days. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Ned Rose, Chairman
Friends of Robert C. Byrd



Methods for nonresidents to contact him:

Fax your letter to my Charleston office at 304-343-7144

Senator Robert C. Byrd
300 Virginia Street East, Suite 2630
Charleston, WV 25301


Senator Robert C. Byrd
311 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510

[Ishoutandscream2]

1. When my Grandma died after 62 years of marriage

my Grandpa simply stopped caring. He said that he lost the one he loved and took care of. Within 3 months, he was gone.

I hope Senator Byrd keeps on truckin' for a long, long time. We still need him.

My utmost sympathies to the Senator and his family.

[Alizaryn]

3. He has to be a wreck, I hope he has family and friends

to prop him up.

[greenbriar]

2. I fear he will be really lonely

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2536200