Aug. 8, 1937 – March 5, 2012

NATCHEZ — Services for Bethany Byrd Lambdin Overton, 74, of Natchez, who died Monday, March 5, 2012, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, will be at 2 p.m. today at Trinity Episcopal Church.

Burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from noon until service time today at the church.

Mrs. Overton was born Aug. 8, 1937, in Vicksburg, the daughter of Knollis Edward and Bessie Laura Misterfeldt Byrd. Bethany graduated from Gulf Park College with a high school diploma, attended Millsaps College where she was active in her sorority, Chi Omega. She graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees in 1959.

Following graduation, she took a good job as the home economist for Mississippi Power and Light Company, marking time before going to New York to study interior design. She was swept off her feet by Waldo Putnam Lambdin who she married in 1960. During the happy 22 married years, Bethany and Waldo had three daughters who are the world’s finest mothers, Mary Bisland Lambdin, Laura Lambdin Burns and Selah Henderson Lambdin Willard. She has two wonderful sons-in-law, Paul A. Burns and R. James Willard who were her pride and joy.

She was a devoted grandmother to Clifton Steele Partridge, her first young traveling companion; Bethany Bisland Partridge, her beautiful traveler; Peter T. Burns, her English map reader; Harrison Lambdin Burns, her redheaded charismatic heart; Catherine Cameron Willard, her bright shining star; and Sarah Bethany Willard, another name sake with a sparkling personality and loving disposition.

In 1986, she married James William Overton, the love of her life, who won her heart, thus giving her years of love, happiness, fun, companionship and a life full of delightful surprises. He added to her life, Deborah Overton Vollmer, a special stepdaughter and her husband, Kris E. Vollmer, and her wonderful children, Sherrie Thomson, the brightest and the beautiful; Shaun Thomson, the tall and the handsome; and Alexandra Vestal, the blue-eyed delight.

In her adult life her career choices were wife, mother, teacher, flower arranger, home economist, museum house curator, researcher, author, lecturer, tree farmer, sheep herder, Farmer of the Year (1984), interior designer, corporate executive (real estate and oil), “golfer,” gardener, non-profit volunteer, restoration consultant-one of her most extensive projects was the preservation of King’s Tavern in early 1970s. Bethany was the acknowledge expert on Profilet silver. She received a National Endowment of the Arts grant, Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, director and board member of Britton and Koontz Bank, director and officer of the Pilgrimage Garden Club and Garden Club of America. Being a wife and a mother gave her the most satisfaction.

For thrilling life challenges, she learned to pilot a glider airplane, trained and “broke” a horse, water skied without skis, descended to the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns, climbed mountains in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming, went on a hot-air balloon trip, rafted the wildest western rivers and played bridge with the best bridge players in the south (and lost.)

Her religious life was diverse, first a Baptist for 16 years, a Presbyterian for 27 years, then Episcopalian for her last 24 years. She was a choir soloist at age 6, a Sunday school teacher, vacation Bible school director and elder and member of the Board of Trustees at First Presbyterian Church and Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church. In the Episcopal church she had served as president of the Thomas Guild, the Flower Guild and the Alter Guild, completed EFM and served on the Vestry.

Survivors include her husband, James “Jim” Overton; her three daughters, Mary Lambdin and fiancé, George Dennis, Laura Burns and husband, Paul, and Selah Willard and husband, Jim; stepdaughter, Deborah Overton Vollmer and husband, Kris E. Vollmer; nine grandchildren, Clifton Steele Partridge, Bethany Bisland Partridge, Peter T. Burns, Harrison Lambdin Burns, Catherine Cameron “Cami” Willard and Sarah Bethany Willard, Sherrie Thomson, Shaun Thomson and Alexandra Vestal; one brother, K. Edward Byrd, her hero and his wife, Stella, of New Albany; her beloved sister, Thelma Bailey Akers Crum and husband, Jim; and a number of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends who were all loved dearly.

Pallbearers will be Steele Partridge, Harrison Burns, Peter T. Burns, Shaun Thomson, Wheeler Parker, Harry Lambdin, Karl Byrd, Lester Spell and Tam Winston.

Honorary pallbearers are all friends, men and women, unable to serve but who loved and respected Bethany for her love of honesty and integrity, her willingness to return true friendship with true friendship and her deep desire to keep the best of the world safe and unspoiled, ranging from ecology to politics, from life to death from the least known to the most treasured.

Note: This was written by Bethany which shows her desire to be always prepared.

Charities of choice are Trinity Episcopal Church, Cathedral High School and Mississippi Children’s Museum.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.