Joseph Bird

Funeral services for retired Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Bird, 76, of Killeen will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at HarperTalasek Funeral Home in Killeen with Capt. Mark Edwards, an Army chaplain, officiating. Burial will be at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

Mr. Bird died Dec. 17, 2010, at a Round Rock hospice. He was born June 9, 1934, in Lufkin, to Hally Uwin Bird and Estelle Lorraine Whittington.

Mr. Byrd entered the Army in 1954. He thoroughly enjoyed being a paratrooper in the Special Forces. He retired in 1974 at Fort Hood. In 1959, he married May Ann Harrison in San Antonio. After retiring, he sold insurance for National Life Insurance Company and later sold used cars for Fogle Dodge.

Mr. Bird was a member of American Legion Post 223 and the 408 Voyagers 1031. He loved telling jokes, fishing and playing softball. He was an excellent pitcher. In his later years, he enjoyed going to Killeen Independent School District elementary schools and teaching firstgraders about the American flag. He became known as The Flag Man.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Hally, Bennie and Maurice, and his parents.

Survivors include his wife, May, of Killeen son, Charles Raymond Bird of Killeen daughter, Robin Lynn Hamm and her husband, Randy, of Bryan grandchildren, Joshua and his wife, Rebecca Hamm, and Jonathan Hamm and greatgrandchild, Katah Hamm.

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Cemetery