Alberta Byers

Alberta Byers (78) entered this world on May 27, 1948, in Hattieville, Arkansas, a daughter of James Harvey Byers and Cora Jane McFall. She was raised in Cleveland, Arkansas, where childhood was not an easy season of life. But God…there was one joy she held onto — one bright, constant light in those early years — and that was attending Prospect Baptist Church. It was there that her faith was planted early — and that faith would become the steady anchor of her entire life. She attended Center School from grade school through high school. In adulthood, Alberta made her home in Kansas City, Missouri, where she built a life with her children, and an unshakeable trust in God. Alberta never wavered in her belief that God was watching over her and ordering her steps. She would say it plainly and without hesitation: “God has always taken care of me.” That conviction was the way she lived, the way she loved, and the peace she carried even in hard seasons.

Alberta dedicated 29 years of her life to caring for others as a Certified Nursing Assistant, serving faithfully at Park Place Nursing Home, Hidden Lake, and Senior Helpers. She had a rare and beautiful gift with hospice patients — the ability to sit with someone in their most vulnerable moments and make them feel safe, seen, and not alone. She retired in 2025, having poured herself into that calling with everything she had.

Those who knew Alberta would describe her the same way, every time: sweet, loving, strong-willed, opinionated and fiercely independent. She always wanted to help others. It was simply who she was — a woman made of quiet strength, genuine love, and goodness that left a mark on everyone she touched.

Above all, Alberta loved her family. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her greatest joy and her deepest pride. She was the glue that held her children together — the constant, the home base, the one they gathered around. Her legacy of service lives on in the next generation: she has a granddaughter, dedicated to serving as a healthcare professional, and a granddaughter and grandson devoted to serving in the mental health profession, all carrying forward her heart for helping people. That is no accident. That is the legacy of Alberta Byers.

In the final chapter of her life, Alberta attended and joined Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kansas, under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Ricky D. Turner. As a new member of the church, she was looking forward to becoming an active part of that church family. She also had a special place in her heart for Forest Grove Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Desmond Lamb, Pastor, her son’s church home, which she visited when she was able and where she found additional support, fellowship and worship.

PRECEDED IN DEATH

Alberta was preceded in death by her father, James Harvey Byers (1983); her mother, Cora Jane McFall (2008); the father of her children, Leodis Byers (2009); her beloved grandchild, Darius Dante’ Byers (2007); and her siblings: Mary Lee Byers, Lutricia Byers, James Allen Byers, (Annie, Marilyn, and Lilly Jewel – passed away during early childhood).

LEFT TO CHERISH HER MEMORY

Alberta leaves to cherish her memory her four children: son Lee Earnest (Carla Michel) Byers Sr; daughter Angela Kaye (Darren Eugene) Pitts; son Jerome Keith (Loretta) Byers; and daughter Marlene Marie Walker; her grandchildren: Brandon X. Pitts, Desirée A. Pitts, Malena M. McCoy, Amar’e A. Walker, Lee E. Byers Jr. (Nikki), and Ashlee N. Byers Jackson (Jarriell); her great-grandchildren: LaMeyce Byers, Lee E. Byers III, Alaiyah, Ayden, and Alijah Jackson; her surviving siblings: Rose Marie Byers, Gary Wayne Byers, Charles Ray (Lynn) Byers, Elvin (Wanda) Canady, and Maeola Howard; and a cherished host of extended family, and friends whose lives are richer for having known her.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

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