Cecelia Byers Obituary

I don't know Cecilia Byers. but during my tour of Scotland I stopped at a lovely school on route 701 to Moffat. There was a bench there in memory of Celcilia Byers. may she rest in peace. Michael Kaplan

Cece it's been a while now since you have been gone and the presence of your absence though certain is still very unreal to me. From the start we had beautiful experiences and explored various endeavors of consciousness, concern and care which we reflected upon with a lot of laughter during our last and what became our final conversation. I still hear you saying before hanging up "I love you boy"...Lord knows I miss you and love you.

It is still so very hard to believe that you are gone. I came across a picture of you the other day that you sent me when you were a little girl. I smiled. Although I will be forever sad that you are no longer with us, I carry you in my heart forever.

Zora,

I just learned of your mother's passing. I wanted you to know how blessed I feel to have known such a remarkable human being. She had a warmth that could fill a room and a heart of gold to match it. I will miss her sassy smile and that infectious laugh! I send my love and prayers to you and your family in this difficult time. God bless!

Zora,
I had the honor of knowing and working with your Mom in the Communities in School programs (C.R. Neal and Five Points) in Richland One, Columbia, SC.
CeCe's legacy is one of hope, sharing, and compassion. As a master teacher, she touched many lives and inspired students to realize their potential. As an individual, she stood for all that was "right and good" in the world. We will miss her, but her legacy lives on. Please know that God will continue to bless and keep you. You and your family will remain in my prayers.

Ms. Byers- oh my goodness I can't believe your gone. You were my favorite teacher and a second mom to me.. You gave me encourgement to be the best that I can be.. I will miss your dearly.. Zora your mom is watching over you, continue to do great things she always talked about you in class.. Love you mama b .. -shandrelle harper garrett academy of technology C/O 2010

Zora, God blessed you with a remarkable mother. Keep fond memories of her in your heart. She was always proud of you.
CeCe's presence during my tenure at H. B. Rhame is one of my fondest memories. May you find strength in knowing that there is a loving God who is watching over you at this difficult time. Take comfort in His Blessed Assurance and let it give you the peace you need in the days to come.

Zora, your mother had more dimensions than anyone could imagine. Looking at the montage at the service proved that she was just CeCe. A beautiful woman with a beautiful spirit, she will forever be in our hearts. Her legacy will forever live in you. May God bless you.

Dear Zora and Family
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Carrie, Seth, and Subira Whipper

I met Ms.Byers through my niece, Tieakia Dennis,who is employed at Garrett High.Ms. Byers invited me to her classroom during African-American Heritage Month,a few years back, during my visit to Charleston.I taught a few classes and did dramatizations of Sojourner Truth and others.Ms. Byers was so welcoming,warm and full of wisdom regarding our sojourn in America;as a people of African descent.I later received letters of gratitude from her students.She has indeed left an indelible mark on everyone she met.

CeCe,
Since our paths crossed in the fall of 1969 on the campus of WSSU, you have proven to be a remarkable woman of character, strength, and great resolve. May your spirit reside in your daughter, who you spoke of with great pride. I shall cherish the wall hanging of musicians of our generation you gave to me while visiting you last. You have fought the good fight and finished the race. Receive your crown CeCe.

WSSU-Class of 1973

WE LOVE U MS.CECE BYERS MAY U REST N PEACE MUAH
C/O 2009

Zora,
I had the opportunity to work with your mother 18 years ago at C.R. Neal. Her passion, boldness, vision and compassion for the underdog touched me. She was one of a kind. May God comfort
you and allow the seed she sowed continue to blossom.

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around you and whispered "Come to Me." A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

Zora, we loved our cousin Cecelia and the void in the family is deeply felt, but we thank God for her time on earth because she touched so many lives in her own special way...we will truly miss our family historian. Wish we could be there with you but remember that we are here for you always.

20 years ago CeCe was not only my Social Studies teacher but a mother and shoulder to lean on. I will forever be grateful for her teachings and love. Most of all the love she showed me when I was troubled and alone. I love you, CeCe. I will never forget all you did for me.

Thank you GOD for putting this special person in my life.

CeCe (my cousin) you were there for me while I was at Howard. I will always remember your beautiful smile that brighten your face. Zora you are in our prayers, may you find the peace and strength needed to get through this tough time.

CeCe, I will always remember you passing by Guidance door at Garrett asking me if I was behaving myself! I was then and I am now because I know you will be watching me! I will miss our chats and the exchange of your sisterly cards.
Zora, stay prayerful and know that your mother is in the loving arms of God!

Zora, I will continue to keep you in my prayers.

CeCe was in every sense of the words a Phenomenal woman! It has been years since we all laughed or listened intently to one of Listervelt's latest poems or commentary on life but she held a special place in our lives. My late husband even wrote a poem "For Sassy Cecelia" just about her indomitable spirit,sense of justice and equality for all people. So many good memories of fun times and the special friend CeCe was. Zora, as you know you have so much to be proud of and we will lift you up in prayer.

Mrs. Byers Will Be Truly Missed From Her Senior Garrett Class Of 2013. We Love You Mrs. Byers, and now may you rest on with the man above.

I spent only a short time with this wonderful spirit, but in that short time we connected on a level that most people never experience! She was still down for the cause of "us loving us"!! I love you Zora, you are my daughter indeed! You have such a wonderful role model....CeCe. We will miss her but she is with us still because you are here!

You will be missed Ms. Byers.

Ms. CeCe you will truely be missed and I will always remember who Ms. CeCe Byers-Johnson. Love always

Cece was the living manifestation of strength and courage; and brought an amazing amount of joy to the world. She was taken way before her time, but accomplished a great deal.

CeCe, You will be truly misses. Trelasha is having a hard time with it. But I explain to her that god only pick his best flower and you are one of them. We all love and will Miss CeCe.

Cece, you will truly be missed. Because of my daughter, Andrea, you and I got to be really good friends. You were such a blessing to know and always had a great spirit. May you rest in peace and know that you will be greatly missed.

I have loved you since you were my teacher in the 7th grade. Besides my favorite teacher, you were my second mother. I will miss you dearly and you will always have a special place in my heart and my memories.

Ms. Byers, you will truly be missed thanks so much for your encouraging words and also for being there for Robert, Lucrecia, Auriel and Raven when they needed you. We all loved you very much....rest on Ms. Byers.

Very seldom in life you meet a spirit like Cece. It's been many years but I will always remember her beautiful soul and how she influenced me to pay attention to our history and legacy. Due in part to her, I went to Atlanta in the late 70's to look for missing children, and participated in peaceful protest against injustices. We eventually lost contact with each other, but I have often wondered what it would be like to be OLD friends. I never had an opportunity to meet Zora, but everyone around CeCe and Wilbur (Diddy) knew you before you were born. I am so grateful (for what now seems a brief time) our lives did cross paths.