Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADLER Bird (1900-1988)

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Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADLER Bird (1900-1988)

Project

Project Directors:

Evelyn Virginia BIRD Linton (1922-2012)

Frances Dell BIRD Shivers (1934-2014)

Margaret Drusilla BIRD Norwood (1928-2019)

Patricia "Pat" Marjie BIRD Bronstad (1941-2023)

Mary Louise BIRD Gill

page established April 2007

Updated August 11, 2024

Above photo: Clara Myrtle GRAY-SADDLER Bird in 1917.........Below photo Clara in the 1960

Clara Myrtle GRAY Bird (1900-1988)

(Affectionately Known as Grandma Bird)

(First Published) Direct Genealogy Lineage of Thomas Jefferson Bird Sr. (1861-1931) And Drusilla Gay (1867-1948) (book, Terry L. Linton © 1987) (Linton Research Fund, Inc., Publication © 1987) (First Revision, Febuary © 1989) (Second Revision, December, © 1991, (Third Revision, May, © 1995,) (printed in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA)

BIRD Chronicles Volume XVIV, Issue 2, Summer © 2024, ISSN 1941-3521

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Clara Myrtle GRAY (1900-1988) was born on June 14, 1900 , in Seaboard, Princess Anne County, Virginia. Clara was the daughter of George Ivian GRAY (1874- 1905) & Lula Virginia "Ginny" WILLIAMS ( 1874- 1935). Clara was put up for adoption four months after she was born in the Saint Mary's Infant Home, located on Chapel Street. Clara was immediately adopted and raised by, her in-laws, Annas Norris SADLER (1859-1941) and Margaret Eddie CURLING (1862-1925) of Great Bridge, Norfolk County, Virginia.

From 1907to 1913, Clara attended elementary school at the Chapel Street School at 317 Chapel Street, in Norfolk , Princess Anne County, Virginia.

On August 7, 1917, Clara Myrtle GRAY married Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954) , the son of Thomas Jefferson BIRD (1861-1931) & Drusilla GAY (1868-1948). Clara & Jeff were married in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., while Jeff was being processed out of the Navy, after spending eight years in service.

Jeff Augustus BIRD was born on Aug 16, 1893, in Birdville, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Gus died on June 12, 1954, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 60, Gus was buried on June 15, 1954, in the Blue Bonnet Garden Section of Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas.

Clara died on December 27, 1988, in Haltom City Central Hospital, Haltom City, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 88. Clara was buried next to her husband, on December 31, 1988, in the Blue Bonnet Garden Section, of Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas.

Jeff & Clara had sixteen Children:

i Guy Edward "Eddie" BIRD (1918-1957) was born on October 8, 1918, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Eddie married Emmie Marie "Tommy" BROWN on November 19, 1937, in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas. Eddie was a World War II US Navy veteran. Eddie was killed on May 29, 1957, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 38. He was buried after May 29, 1957, in Bedford Cemetery, Tarrant County, Texas. Tommy died on August 20, 2011, in Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas.

ii. Earl Alford BIRD (1919-1991)was born on October 29, 1919 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Earl was a World War II US Army Veteran. Earl married Nancy Louise JESSUP on December 19, 1954, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Earl died on November 29, 1991, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. at age 72, and cremated, on December 3, 1991, in Fort Worth.

iii. Myrtle Elizabeth BIRD (1921-1996) was born on March 22, 1921, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Myrtle first married Lt. Colonel Robert Earl DOUGALL Jr. (d. July 4, 1976) on December 2, 1949, in Buffalo, New York. Myrtle next married Colonel William Jack HOLZAPFEL Jr. (d. February 26, 1983) on August 31, 1959, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Myrtle died on December 5, 1996, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. at age 75. On December 6, 1996, her body was donated to science in Hurst, Tarrant County Texas.

iv. Evelyn Virginia "Polly" BIR (1922-2012)was born on May 17, 1922 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Evelyn married Kirk Louis LINTON (1914-1987) on November 11 , 1944, in Washington, District of Columbia. Kirk was a railroad engineer for the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad. Kirk died on July 18, 1987, age 73, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Evelyn died on November 4, 2012, age 90, in North Richland Hills, Tarrant County, Texas. Both are buried in the Mount Comfort Cemetery, Mount Eagle Section, Fairfax County, Virginia.

v. J. A. "Jeff Augustus" "Snookum" "Jimmie" BIRD (1923-2015)was born on December 2, 1923 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. According to his birth certificate, his name is J. A. Bird. He had it legally changed to Jeff Augustus Bird, in order to join the US Navy. He is a World War II US Navy Seabee Veteran. He married Marjorie Blanchard LAFOREST (1927-2010) on June 27, 1944, in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California. Marjorie was the daughter of Joseph Aureal LAFOREST (1891–1962) & Sarah Myrtle BLANCHARD (1897–1963). Margorie was born on 12, 1927 in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California and died on February 11, 2010, in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California. Snookum died on January 9, 2015 in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California.

vi. Albert Irvin BIRD (1925-2008)was born on March 31, 1925 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas. Albert was a Merchant Marines Veteran, World War II and Korean War US Army Veteran. Albert married Vera Lee MARTIN on June 26, 1950, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Vera was the daughter of James Oscar MARTIN (1877–1960) & Fannie Mable ANDERSON (1888–1976). Albert died on October 10, 2008, in Burleston, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 83. He was buried on October 15, 2008, in the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas County, Texas. Vera died on July 3, 2024, in Johnson County, Texas. Both are buried at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

vii. Donald Milton BIRD (1926-1999) was born on December 9, 1926 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas. Donald was World War II and Korean War retired US Army Veteran. Donald married Cletha Faye SMITH (1934-2011) on July 15, 1961, in Hope, Bartholomew County, Indiana. Faye was the daughter of Cecil Alman SMITH (1903–1971) & Crystal Lucille PIERCE (1910–1980). Donald died on November 17, 1999, in Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana, at age 72. Faye died in 2011, age 77 and both are buried in the Garland Brook Cemetery, Columbus, Indiana.

viii. Margaret Drusilla BIRD (1928-2019) was born on April 17, 1928 in Harlingan, Cameron County, Texas. Margaret married Otha L. "Sammie" NORWOOD (July 29, 1911- February 27, 1992) on October 3, 1946, in Tarrant County, Texas. Margaret died on January 7, 2019, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

ix. Iva Lee BIRD (1930-1993)was born on May 20, 1930 in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Iva Lee married Richard Frank BRYANT (July 28, 1928-April 30, 1999) on October 6, 1955, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Iva Lee died on November 25, 1993, in Bedford, Tarrant County, Texas, at age 63 and was buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas. Richard died on April 30, 1999, in Bedford, Tarrant County, Texas. Both are buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

x. Carlton Norris "Buster" BIRD (1931-2002)was born on November 21, 1931, in Austin, Travis County, Texas. Carlton was a US Marine Korean War Veteran. Carlton married Bettye June GAYLER on May 17, 1963, in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas. Carlton died on October 1, 2002, in Hurst, Tarrant County, Texas. at age 70, and was buried in the Green Acres Memorial Park, Cleburne, Johnson County, Texas.

xi. Franklin Delano "Buddy" BIRD (1934-2016) was born on January 8, 1934 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Franklin was a US Airforce Veteran. Franklin married Rita Aline PULLIAM, on March 28, 1958, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Rita was the daughter of Nicholas James PULLIAM (1882–1968) & Ella Fay "Fae" RUSSELL (1912–1995). Rita died on January 30, 2014, in Haltom City, Tarrant County, Texas. Buddy died on January 19, 2016, in Haltom City, Tarrant County, Texas.

xii. Frances Dell BIRD (1934-2014) was born on January 8, 1934 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. On September 4, 1953, Frances married Jeroll Dean SHIVERS (March 9, 1929 - August 30, 2008), in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Frances died on June 2, 2014 in South Lake, Tarrant County, Texas.

xiii. Mary Louise BIRD was born on February 28, 1936 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Mary married Doctor Jimmie Eugene GILL, on September 10, 1960, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.

xiv. David Brewer BIRD (1938-1997) was born on February 26, 1938 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. David married Glenda Beatrice WOODS, on November 21, 1965, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Glenda was the daughter of Roy Wesley WOODS (1914–1990) & Ruby Mildred ALLAN (1915–1988). David died on July 4, 1997, in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, at age 59. Glenda died in 2022 in Fort Worth. Both were buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas.

vv.. Patricia "Pat" Marjorie BIRD (1941-2023was born on January 30, 1941 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Patricia married Gilbert Walton “Walt” BRONSTAD on February 24, 1961, in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Walt is the son Clyde Pernell BRONSTAD (1896–1989) & Louise Myrtle WALTON (1908–1989). Pat died in 2023 in Tennessee.

xvi. Beatrice "Betty" Jean BIRD was born on August 28, 1942 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Betty married John Harold JENSEN on September 1, 1962, in Texas.

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