Our loving and beautiful daughter, Candice Faye Byrd, 38, of Columbia, born Dec. 23, 1981, in Belleville,died Monday, Aug. 17, 2020.

Candice loved to play bingo at the American Legion hall in Columbia. She also enjoyed playing keno at the area casinos and enjoyed trips to Tunica and Iowa. She never met a stranger and was a friend to everyone. She could light up a room with her smile and adoring personality. She loved animals, especially dogs and her sister’s dog, Cassidy. During the summer months she enjoyed swimming and playing quilt bingo at church picnics. She was a loving daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt and niece who will truly be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Peter and Thelma Knisch and her paternal grandfather Gerold “Jerry” Byrd.

Surviving are her loving parents, Garry and Marsha, nee Knisch, Byrd, of Columbia; paternal grandmother Charlene Byrd; sister Crystal (Jeff) Wyrick of Waterloo; uncles Tim (Bonnie) Knisch and Michael Knisch; niece Sadie and nephew Zachary; her best friend Angie Duke of Columbia; and many other aunts, uncles, cousins and friends; and faithful dog, Cassidy.

Candice will continue to touch the lives of others and help people, through her family’s decision to become an organ and tissue donor.

God’s Garden of Eden

God looked around his garden,

And found an empty space.

He looked down upon this earth,

And saw your tired face.

He put His arms around you

And lifted you to rest.

God’s garden must be a beautiful place.

He always takes the best.

He knew that you were suffering.

He knew you were in pain.

He knew that you would never

get well on earth again.

He saw the road was getting rough,

and the hills were hard to climb.

So He closed your weary eyelids,

and whispered, “peace be thine.”

It broke our hearts to lose you,

but you didn’t go alone.

For part of us went with you,

the day God called you home.

Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Aug. 23, 2020 at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville.                                                                                 

Private services will follow at the funeral home.

Memorials are appreciated to the family.