Minnie Pearl Lyde, 79 years old, of Washington, D.C., departed this life on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.

Known to most as "Pearl", she was born to the late Woodrow and Lottie Mae Wright on May 12, 1943, in Lynchburg, South Carolina. She received her formal education in Lee County schools where she met and married her High School sweetheart, the late Robert Lyde. In 1965,
they relocated and planted roots in Washington, D.C. where they raised four children. Pearl gave her life to Jesus Christ at an exceedingly early age and loved him for the rest of her life. She was a long-time member of East Friendship Baptist Church where she worshiped the
Lord until her health prevented her from attending church. However, she stayed in close contact with her East Friendship Baptist Church members.

Pearl dedicated her entire life to caring for others, especially children. If she had a superhero name, it would be the "Baby Whisperer." She had an innate ability to make children love her instantly, as she did them. She was an incredibly loving and nurturing mother to her natural children and a mother figure to dozens of others, who she affectionately referred to as "her babies." To know her was to love her - she was a loyal confidant who could be trusted with anything. Pearl was also a wonderful wife, sister, auntie, cousin, friend, and a fierce protector of everyone she loved. She was always willing to help anyone in need. If she had a "little something," she would take the little for herself and give you her last. She never met a stranger and made friends everywhere she went.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Willie James "WJ" Wright, Bobby Wright, Wallace Wright, and sister, Julia Ann Simms.
Pearl leaves to cherish her loving memories her children: Sheila Lyde, Rodney Lyde, Anthony Lyde (Vanessa), and Michelle Lyde, god-daughter: Brandy Heard, grandchildren: Stephon Alexander, T'Keyah "Jazzie" Lyde, Rodney Crawley, Dana Smith, Kamaya Haskins, Nautika Owens, and Lothario Heard, great-grandchildren: Sankofa and Talib, brothers: Roosevelt Wright (Shirley), Willis Wright, Dennis "Danny" Samuel, Willie Samuel, sisters: Zelda Spann and Mary Wright; sister-in-law Cynthia Wright, devoted life-long sister-friend and brother-friend: Barbara
and Roland Blackwell, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.