Waydene Byrd (Carney)
Born: February 2, 1929
Died: July 13, 2025
Waydene Byrd (Carney) passed away at the age of 96 at her home on July 13, 2025, surrounded by family. Waydene was born February 2, 1929 in Gauze, Tennessee. She was the daughter of James Henry and Julia Etta (Justice) Carney.
She married Benjamin Franklin Byrd on October 6, 1948 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. They were married for 71 years until Benjamin's passing on December 9, 2019.
Waydene worked as an assembler for Turner Corporation in Sycamore for 40 years. In her younger years, she worked on the tobacco farm in Tennessee where she grew up.
She has told many, many stories over the years of coming home after school and going right to the barn and retrieving the horse and plow and heading to the field. She often referred to herself as the tomboy of the family. She wasn't afraid of anything and was the stubborn one of the family.
Waydene was a girl raised in the south (GRITS) with a very strong work ethic and strong will. She will be remembered for all of her "quick-witted sayings and jokes" she could come up with. She very rarely went anywhere that someone didn't pick up on her accent. They would ask where she was from, and her response was "I'm from the Volunteer State." Then she would say, "Now do you know where I'm from?
She enjoyed the garden. Both vegetables and flower gardens. She was always giving away her vegetables to anyone that would want them. Waydene loved doing crossword puzzles.
Waydene treasured attending her grandchildren's events. Whether it was sporting events or school functions, she was always there cheering them on.
She watched every Tennessee sport that she could watch whether it was basketball or football.
Waydene played basketball in high school. She would always tell the story of having to play half court because they were "girls".
The DeKalb Daily Chronicle has lost a very devoted customer. Waydene would not have anything to do with reading the paper "online". She would say, "I want the paper delivered to my mailbox." If she didn't receive the paper on the day it was scheduled to be delivered, she was calling to find out where her paper was and when it was going to be delivered.
Wheel of Fortune has lost a very dedicated viewer. When 6:30 at night came, you had better get out of her way because she was heading to the TV to solve puzzles.
Waydene's front porch will never be the same. She loved her front porch. She would sit there for hours. She loved watching what was going on in the neighborhood. She knew who would walk by and at what time they would walk by every day. She even knew their dogs' names as well.
Waydene and Benjamin retired from Turner Corporation on the same day. Each one of them both working 40+ years at Turner's. They would start their journey together. Their travel would take them to California to see her sister, to Florida to see two of her sisters, and of course they went back "home" to the Tennessee farm just about every October to celebrate their anniversary with family.
It was when they were in Florida on one of their trips that they ended up buying a motor home and drove it back to Illinois. They would do some traveling in their motor home. Especially to a place in Wisconsin called Getchell's Resort in Newville. They would spend many years going back and forth from Getchell's. They first started there in a tent and progressed up to the motor home.
There were numerous catfish caught while fishing on Lake Koshkonong. Waydene was known for assisting with the cleaning of these fish. She was the only person who was able to find the mud vein and pull it out in every catfish that was cleaned. This made the catfish taste better when cooked. Waydene liked to ride in the boat; but you could not go very fast as she was afraid of the water.
Their biggest trip in retirement was to Hawaii. They had very fond memories of that trip.
Waydene is survived by two daughters, Joyce (Steve) Davis of Cortland and Joann Kunkel of Sycamore. Four grandchildren: David (Sarah) Westlake, Jennifer Weglarz (Rick Sorensen), Jared (Jenni) Kunkel and Jordan (Holly) Kunkel. Five great-grandchildren: Harper Weglarz Jameson, Johonna, Carter, and Jaxson Kunkel. She is survived by her sister Fran Parkerson of Florida, one brother James R. Carney of Tennessee, one sister-in-law Marcia Byrd of Chana and one brother-in-law Ernie Byrd (Stacy) of Oregon and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin Franklin, her parents James H. Carney and Julia Etta (Justice) Carney. Her sisters Mae Shipman, Pearl Eaton, Maxine Ellis, Jerry Balthrop, and brother Emmitt Carney.
We wish to thank Dr. Thakkar for his kindness and compassion with Waydene. We would also like to thank Serenity Hospice for all their wonderful care and Dr. Neglia for helping Waydene.
Her visitation will be on Friday, July 18th from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Butala Funeral Home, 1405 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore, IL. Her funeral service will be on Saturday, July 19th at 11:00 am at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Elmwood Cemetery in Sycamore.
Memorials can be made to the family to determine at a later date.
To sign the online guest book, go to www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com