Yolanda Bird

Yolanda Pierce Bird, 75, of Uvalde died on Mar 9, 2023, at Uvalde Memorial Hospital.

A service will be held on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 10 a.m. at St. Philips Episcopal Church, followed by a reception to celebrate her life.

She was born on May 26, 1947, in Uvalde to Ada Anna (Item) and Elton Homer Pierce.

The family said she was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all of Uvalde; and she will be missed in many different ways by all who loved her.

She grew up in Uvalde, where she developed a love of animals, barrel racing, helping her parents at The Stardust Drive-in Theater and looking after her younger sisters. After graduating from Uvalde High school in 1965, she attended Southwest Texas Junior College.

She married John Ronald “Ronny” Bird on July 25, 1966, in Uvalde.

She was employed by AT&T for 28 years and retired in 2001 in San Antonio.

Shortly after retiring, she and her husband moved to Nueces Canyon, purchased The Canyon Broadcaster, and shared the amazing stories of others.

After later selling the newspaper, she and a few of her friends formed the band The Hackberry Haggs. Their band played at several different churches, retirement homes, and numerous other functions in and around Uvalde and Camp Wood.

She was an active member of her church and numerous community organizations, including The Veranda and El Progreso Memorial Library, and read books at the local schools, all of which the family said she did simply to “make today a better day” for others. Her passion was in storytelling; she enjoyed captivating an audience with made up characters in wild adventures that she vividly helped others imagine through costumes and characters she embodied.

She was so good at telling stories she once won “The Biggest Liar Contest” at the Old Settlers Reunion in Camp Wood.

She is survived by her husband, of Uvalde; son David Bird and his wife, Laura, of Boerne; granddaughter Brittany Bird Pettit and spouse, Travis, grandson Bryson Bird; and great-grandson Emerson Boyd Pettit; two sisters, Anna Pierce Watkins and spouse, Beaumont, of Uvalde, and Betty Pierce Chastain of Leander ; mother-in-law Willa Mae “Willie” Bird of Uvalde; brother-in-law Ricky Bird and spouse, Debra, of Boerne; sister-in-law Renee Bird Shackleford and spouse, Ronnie, of Mill Creek, Oklahoma,; and numerous nephews and nieces whom the family says she loved dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her father-in-law, William Bird.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Flights to Furever, P.O. Box 1650, Uvalde, TX 78802 or donate via PayPal at www.barcuvalde.com and in the notes section mention Yolanda Bird and Flights to Furever, so the donation is attributed to the correct organization.