Flossie M. Byrd, the eldest daughter of John and Elizabeth Byrd, graduated as valedictorian of Howard Academy High School, Monticello, Florida (1944), earned the Bachelor of Science degree at Florida A&M College, magna cum laude (1948), the Master of Education degree at the Pennsylvania State University (1954), and a Doctor of Philosophy degree at Cornell University (1963). She is a member of four honor societies and is a Certified Family and Consumer Scientists. She also holds the distinction of being the first person from Jefferson County to earn the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Flossie has received numerous honors and awards. Among these are the American Home Economics Association (now the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences) Distinguished Service Award; The Florida A&M University Distinguished Alumna Award; an induction into the Gallery of Distinction for Agriculture and Home Economics graduates of Florida A&M University.

Recognized by her peers for her leadership ability, Flossie has been President of the Association of Administrators of Home Economics: president of the National Council of Administrators of Home Economics; and Vice President for Professional Standards of the American Home Economics Association. She has served on numerous national committees, publish in refereed journals and has been Distinguished Visiting Professor in Home Economics at Oregon State University. Her research interests include concept formation, family membership disability and family resource management.

Beginning her professional career In 1948 as a high school home economics teacher in Apalachicola, Florida, she taught briefly at Howard Academy High School in Monticello, and resumed her career as a home economics teacher in Live Oak, Florida. Later Dr. Byrd served five years as Teacher Educator at Florida A&M University and two years as Teacher Educator at Prairie View A&M University, Texas. During her thirty-two year tenure at Prairie View, she advanced from Teacher Educator to Dean, College of Home Economics, to Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, to come Vice President for Academic Affairs, and concluded her career as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. She was the first person appointed Provost. She was awarded status as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Emerita, by the Texas A&M University System, effective September 1, 1994. Upon retirement, she established the Flossie M. Byrd Endowed Scholarship for students in Agricultural and Human Sciences at Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas. Her career spanned a total of forty-two years.

Since retirement, Flossie has published two books, Education in Jefferson County in Historical Perspective and Echoes of a Quieter Time. She has been named the Florida Retired Educators Association Volunteer of the Year for 1998, and served as FREA Historian, FREA Secretary and Chair, FREA Nominating Committee, respectively.

She was a member of the Northside Church of Christ, Monticello, FL; Life Member of FAMU National Alumni Association; Golden Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Life Member of the Florida Retired Educators Association; Life Member, Texas Retired Teachers Association; and a member of Friends of the FAMU Libraries.

Flossie departed this life early Tuesday morning , March 17, 2020. She leaves to celebrate her life and many accomplishments, her sisters: Margaret Byrd Jones, Monticello, FL, Almedia Byrd Locklear, Tallahassee, FL, Rubia Byrd, Tallahassee, FL, Clarice Byrd, Tallahassee, FL and Mary Byrd, Monticello, FL; Her brothers: Smythe Byrd, Monticello, FL, Wayne Byrd (Gwendolyn), Los Angeles, CA, Claude Byrd, Monticello, FL. Harold Byrd, Tallahassee, FL, and Clinton Byrd (Beverly), Tallahassee, FL; and numerous nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives.

Flossie was predeceased by her parents, John & Lizzie Byrd and three siblings, Johnny B. Byrd, Juanita Byrd Johnson and Christopher Byrd.