NATCHEZ — Funeral services for Mary Beatrice “Bea” Johnston Byrnes, 80, formerly of Vidalia, who died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, at her residence in Baton Rouge, will be 10 a.m. today at Rebenhorst Funeral Home, 11000 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge.

Graveside services will follow at 2 p.m. at Greelawn Cemetery in Natchez.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to service time at the funeral home.

Bea was born and raised in Jigger, La. She graduated from Fort Necessity High School in 1950. Following graduation she married the love of her life, the late Lee Tucker Byrnes. Mr. and Mrs. Byrnes settled in Vidalia where they chose to build their life together and raise their family, establishing Lee “T” Byrnes Construction Company. Bea was a devoted Christian who enjoyed volunteering her time to her church family, especially the youth. She dedicated time through volunteer work which she loved including assisting at “The Strand Theatre” in Shreveport, La., and most recently at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge where she was a receptionist at “Calais House.”

She is preceded in death by her parents Lawrence Madison Johnston and Thula Malissa Thames Johnston, her husband, two brothers Lawrence Madison Johnston Jr. and Lofton Monroe Johnston, one toddler sister and two infant grandsons.

Survivors include one son, Kenneth Wayne Byrnes of Lake St. John, three daughters, Deborah Kiser Parks, who is the wife of the late Stanley Clark Parks of Concordia Parish, Sheila Duncan of Geismar, La., and Sandra Carlock and her husband Ronald Carlock of French Settlement, La., seven grandchildren, Kala Kiser Allen, Timothy Lee “Jason” Duncan, Brandy Byrnes Thompson, Tiffany Kiser Mannino, Courtney Duncan Le, Casey Carlock, and Christine Carlock Tortorich, and 17 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Jason Duncan, Matthew Mannino, Nigel Johnston, Christian Credeur, Cameron King and Ryan Thompson. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.