After a long battle with cancer, Mrs. Frances N. Byrd, 90, of Huntsville, Alabama died peacefully on Thursday September 3, 2026.
Frances was born in Collinsville, Alabama to Percy and Fanny Nicholson. She spent many happy days helping her father in his pharmacy with her two brothers, Hugh and Frederick. In 1958, Frances graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Art and Elementary Education. Following graduation, she married William “Glen” Byrd Jr., a fellow Auburn student. After her marriage ended, Frances navigated life’s transitions with quiet courage and unwavering dedication, moving to Huntsville with her four young children. She taught art and various elementary grades in the Madison County school system. To cover living expenses, she also worked at various department stores sharing her sense of style and color and always rejected government assistance. She returned to school and earned a master’s degree from Alabama A&M University. With stoic determination, she embodied her key principles of education and self-reliance. All four of her children graduated from college, several with advanced degrees.
Frances married James Currie in January 2000, the beginning of one of the happiest chapters in her life. They had a vibrant and adventurous marriage–square dancing and traveling in their RV. Unfortunately, the marriage was cut short by the untimely death of James in 2004.
Throughout her life Frances was supported by her many friendships, an active faith, and her family–especially her brother, mother, and mother-in-law. Always appreciative of art, Frances found sustenance in the beauty of everyday life: local artists, a colorful flower garden, the adoration of a corgi, a well-made jacket. She was a member of several local churches throughout her life. Frances had a vivid social life, enjoying a weekly canasta game with her friends, attending Broadway Theater League seasons, joining the DAR, enrolling in senior continuing education and persisting in teaching art at OLLI, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Survivors include her brother, Hugh Nicholson and his spouse Elizabeth Switzer; Frances’ children, Bill and spouse Cindy Byrd, Bart Byrd and spouse Marte Picker, Adair Byrd, and stepson James Currie II. Her youngest daughter, Melinda Byrd Johnson, preceded her in death in 2013. Frances leaves behind 5 grandchildren, Matthew, Emily, and Audrey Johnson and Rachel Byrd-McCalpin and Hugh Byrd. We will remember her in art museums, flower gardens, and whenever we see a corgi.
Visitation will be on Saturday September 12 from 3:00-4:00 at Spry Funeral Home (2411 Memorial Parkway NW, Huntsville). Visitation will be followed by a funeral service also at Spry. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Arts Huntsville, a non-profit dedicated to promoting and supporting local artists and arts organizations while helping residents and visitors across the region engage with the arts.
