Clarice Byrd Tibbs' Obituary
This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24
On April 9, 2020, Mother entered the gates of Heaven to be reunited with Daddy after almost 33 years apart. What a joyous reunion that must have been!
Clarice Byrd Tibbs was born October 19, 1929 in Lake Village, Arkansas, to our Nanny and Papa, Clarence and Adele Byrd. What a grand childhood she had with lots of family and friends, in Eudora and McGehee Arkansas. It was during the Depression and WWII eras. We heard the best stories from Mother about those times.
When Mother finished high school in McGehee, Arkansas, she went to Arkansas A & M in Monticello, Arkansas and began her journey to be a teacher. It was at this time she met our Daddy, William A. (Bill) Tibbs. She said, “I knew from the minute I saw him that I was going to marry him.” And that she did! They were married on August 26, 1949. They raised four children, Elizabeth Ann, Laura, Leslie and Art.
In 1956, we moved to Longview, where Mother and Daddy became members of First Presbyterian Church and later at Alpine Presbyterian Church. She was a stay at home Mom, always involved with church activities, PTA and school activities. When Art started school, Mother returned to teaching. She taught fourth grade at Valley View Elementary until she retired in 1985. She loved all of her students and the faculty too.
As our family grew, adding spouses to each of us, family gatherings were always looked forward to. And, then there were grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Oh, how she loved them!
When Daddy died in 1987, Mother continued to look after our Grandmother as she promised him she would. In the late 1990’s, our Nanny came to live with her until her death in 2003.
In 1980, Mother lost her best friend, Nancy Renfrow. They met in the 50’s at First Presbyterian Church. They remained friends for all those years and Mother remained especially close to Nan’s oldest daughter Molly. Molly said “she loved without regard to blood, adopted or step—they were all just her family, grands and great grands. She made sure I (Molly) always felt loved after Mother wasn’t here to do it. She loved with the biggest heart that ever was.”
Mother and her sister, Rose Marie were especially close. The usually talked to each other by phone every day.
Loving memories of Mother are shared by all of us, Elizabeth Ann and Frank LeBus, William A. (Art) Tibbs, Jr., Laura and Bobby Scarlett, and Leslie Tutt. Her grandchildren, Brad and Tasha Scarlett, Matt and Courtney Scarlett, Michael and Alyse Tibbs, Jon-Michael and Kim Tutt, Cameron Tutt, Will and Sarah Tutt. Great grands- Greggory LeBus, Alyssa and Emilee Tutt, Dylan, Preslie, Allie and Maverick Scarlett, Colton and Evie Claire Scarlett, and Avery Prudhomme, her sister, Rose Marie Hogue of Bryant, Arkansas. Nieces and nephews, Mike and Pam Hogue, Farris and Jelyn Hogue and Paul B. Hogue. Her special daughter friend, Molly Matthews.
Private graveside services will be April 13,2020 at Alpine Cemetery under the direction of Rader Funeral Home, Longview, Texas. Her grandson, Michael Tibbs officiating.
Thank you to the nurses and aides at Highland Pines Nursing Home and to Compass Hospice for the love and care you gave Mother for the last 3 years. You all made this final life chapter easier.
Thank you, Mother, for loving us unconditionally when we often didn’t deserve it. Fly high sweet angel!
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