1943
Martha
2017
Martha Goode Byrd
August 30, 1943 — March 24, 2017
She was born August 30, 1943 in Denver, Colorado to William Law Goode and Catherine Pate Goode where Mr. Goode was stationed during WW II.She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Dan Byrd, daughter Susan Catherine Byrd Stearns of Penfield, Illinois, son William English Byrd of Jefferson, Georgia, two grandchildren by William, Hailey and Ansley; her sister Peggy Goode Monroe now of Perry, niece Sarah Horton Wright, and nephew Bill Andrew Magallano.
She was raised in Hawkinsville and graduated from high school there; her family was active in First Baptist Church where she accompanied various choirs when the late Howard Wright was music director.Jobs in her formative years included working at the five and dime. After her primary and secondary education she toured Europe twice with several girl friends.Her adult life was lived in Atlanta and Tucker.Most special of all was her beloved Lake Yonah where she spent many weekends and vacations at the cabin her family has had since 1963 and which was discovered through their friendship with the Byron Kennerly family.
In 1965 she graduated from Furman University with a Bachelors in Biology and perhaps a minor in music; later she received her diploma in medical technology from Grady Memorial School of Medical Technology in Atlanta. In the hospital, she also served as blood bank night supervisor from 1965 to 1968.
Martha was a lecturer and member of the National Red Cross Serum Bank Committee, American Society of Medical Technologists, American Society of Clinical Pathologists, American Association of Blood Banks, Area Blood Bankers Organization, and the American Association for Clinical Histocompatability Testing.
At the Red Cross in Atlanta, she set up the tissue typing lab to identify anti-bodies, procure serum, and conduct a platelet pherisis program.At Grady she established the tissue typing laboratory to facilitate kidney transplants and conducted research at Emory University Hospital and the Veterans Administration Hospital for transplant issues.During a doctor's visit, she had mentioned setting up the first HLA lab in Georgia.
She was recognized in the 1983-1984 edition of Who's Who of American Women for her work in histocompatability testing.At the time, she was one of few technologists with 15 years experience in her field.
Her later career was spent as a guest researcher at CDC under the auspices of the National Arthritis Foundation and later under independent grants.Some of this work involved research on the AIDS virus.During this time she was one of four editors of and a contributor to the CDC's Immunology Series No. 14, Laboratory Methods for the Detection of Antinuclear Antibodies.
Her last week was at Heart of Georgia Hospice in Perry where the attention and care were outstanding.Raised in a family of great love and moral training, she was strong, accomplished, intelligent, blessed with good judgment, and nurtured a boundless love for her husband and children which will remain with them all their days.
She requested no funeral and asked to be buried close to sunset in Hawkinsville.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that tribute gifts be given in support of Dr. Takemi Sato's Uveal Melanoma research at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson.Gifts may be given online at Advancement.Jefferson.edu/SupportSato or by mailing a check Attn: Emma Laverty/Dr. Sato, Office of Institutional Advancement at Jefferson, 125 S. 9th Street, Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19107.Checks should be made payable to Jefferson and reference "Uveal Melanoma Research."Please include a note that the gift is in honor of Martha G. Byrd.
Clark Funeral Home of Hawkinsville, Georgia in charge of arrangements.
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