Gwendolyn Sandles Byrd turned 100 years old on Saturday, marking a milestone birthday filled with love, music, family and a lifetime of grace.
SAN ANTONIO — Happy 100th birthday to Gwendolyn Sandles Byrd.
Mrs. Byrd celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday, March 21, reaching a remarkable milestone and giving her loved ones every reason to celebrate a life rooted in faith, family and kindness.
Born March 21, 1926, in the Greenbriar Community of Madison County, Texas, Byrd was the daughter of William Matthew Sandles, a minister, and Alma Addie Mitchell Sandles, a homemaker.
She spent her early school years in Greenbriar before her family moved to Calvert when she was 8 years old. She later attended Charlton Pollard High School in Beaumont and graduated in 1943.
Byrd went on to attend Prairie View and Mary Allen Colleges before eventually moving to San Antonio, where she married Napoleon Byrd Jr. and built a life centered on family and service.
She worked for Kelly Air Force Base for 25 years before retiring, then continued serving the community through the Bexar County Elections Department as a clerk and elections judge.
Along the way, she raised three children — Dr. Lanier Byrd, Deborah Byrd and Darwin Byrd — and now celebrates her growing family with three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Those who know Byrd say her warmth shines just as brightly as her longevity. She enjoys listening to church music, loves to sing at home, though never in public, and counts “Echo” as her favorite song.
As for her secret to living such a long life, Byrd keeps it simple: take good care of yourself, enjoy a good life and carry a sweet, positive attitude.
At 100 years old, Mrs. Byrd is not just celebrating a birthday. She is celebrating a century of love, resilience and the kind of spirit that leaves a lasting mark on everyone around her.