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Santina (Sandy) Catherine Palano Byrd, 88, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2022 with her family at her side. Sandy was born and raised in Pittsfield, MA the daughter of Salvatore and Catherine (Torre) Palano. She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1951 and from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in 1955. Upon graduation, she worked as an Assistant Program Director for the YWCA in Springfield, MA for 3 years before entering the Army Special Services as a recreation leader in Straubing, Germany. While based in Germany, she met the love of her life, Lee Eugene Byrd. They were married April 23, 1960 at Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Pittsfield, MA. They settled in Beaumont, TX where her husband worked as a Television Director. In 1963 they moved to Dallas, where Sandy and Lee raised their three children. In 1966, she returned to the YWCA as a Y-Teen Director, Program Director, and Branch Executive of the Park North YWCA and continued her passion of improving the lives of women and girls. She spent the next 13 years developing programs for adults and teenage girls with a focus on increasing economic opportunities, advocating for domestic violence survivors, and childcare services. Sandy retired in 1997 from the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) after 10 years as a Teacher Assistant / Library Aide. She was a champion of literacy and taught reading and language arts to academically challenged students. She volunteered with numerous programs that supported her children and her community: DISD PTA, Recreation Center Advisory Board, Northwest Dallas Improvement League, Cub Scouts, and Y-Teens. After retirement, Sandy and Lee moved to Tioga, TX where she was a member of the Red Hat Club and Tioga Women’s Auxiliary, and volunteered at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Pilot Point. She lived in Tioga, TX until after her husband passed in 2016. She spent the last few years at Anthology of Denton in Assisted Living and Memory Care. She loved gardening, watercolor painting, taking road trips, and spending time with family, friends, and grandchildren. Her family enjoyed her Italian cooking, and she loved to teach them how to make her mother’s meatballs, lasagna, and traditional Italian cookies. Sandy is survived by her son, Lee Byrd of Denver, CO; her daughters, Mary Cay Kosten of Scottsdale, AZ and Deborah Armstrong of Oak Point, TX; five grandchildren, Kendall and Kelsey Kosten, and Katy, Abby, and Macy Armstrong. Sandy is preceded in death by her parents, Salvatore and Catherine Palano; husband, Lee Byrd; her brothers, Phillipe Palano and Francisco Palano. The family will hold a visitation with family and friends at 1:00-1:45PM, Monday June 20, 2022 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Pilot Point, TX and the Mass of Christian burial will begin at 2:00PM with Fr. John Martin officiating. Interment will follow at St. Thomas Cemetery in Pilot Point, TX. Online condolences may be shared at www.slaymemorialfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Bradley R. Shotts and Slay Memorial Funeral Center.

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Santina "Sandy" Catherine Byrd

April 8, 1934 - June 14, 2022