William David Byars, 87, passed away May 30, 2015, at the Bill Nichols Veterans Administration Facility in Alexander City, Alabama. He was born December 5, 1927, to Thomas Fink Byars and Margaret Bell Gaines Byars in Decatur.
He was married to the late Shirley Jane Williams Byars, formerly of Savannah, Georgia, for 49 years. They were married in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1953 at Peachtree Christian Church.
He is survived by his youngest sister, Patsy Gayle Cassimus, of Decatur. He also had another sister, the late Jo Anne Andrews, of Athens; two sons and a daughter, Steven Victor Byars, of Auburn, Kirkland Thomas Byars (Anne), of Vestavia Hills, and Rebecca Carol Byars Teague (Marc), of Decatur. Mr. Byars had a third son, Randall Lance Byars, of Decatur, who passed August 10, 2004.
He is survived by six grandchildren, William David Byars II, of Decatur, Tyler Tennis Teague and Garret Byars Teague, of Decatur, and Bryant Daniel Byars, Nathan Christopher Byars and Zerah Margaret Byars, of Vestavia Hills.
David grew up in West Decatur and attended Gordon Bibb Elementary and was a 1945 graduate of Decatur High School. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1943 and was a member of Troop 11 and the Flying Eagle Patrol at Central Baptist Church, of Decatur. David later attended Auburn University in Business and Finance. In 1945, he was initiated by the Beta-Eta Chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. His roommate was Kenny Howard, longtime trainer for Auburn University football. Other fraternity brothers from Decatur are Judson Hawthorne and Ray Frederick.
After graduation from Auburn in 1949, he received U.S. Army basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He was then transferred to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he served for almost three years as a drill and supply sergeant for troops of the Korean War.
Employed by Commercial Credit in 1953, he later was employed by Ford Motor Credit Company and was branch manager of the North Alabama headquarters in Decatur for 28 years. During this time David cherished his staff of employees and the dealership teams for north Alabama and south central Tennessee.
A farmer, cattleman and passionate Auburn Tigers football fan, he managed Byars Hereford and Angus Farms for many years.
David always said, “Keep the main thing, the main thing, which is now helping people accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.”
Memorial services will be held in Irondale at Church of the Highlands Chapel at 5901 Overton Road off I-459 at Grants Mill on Thursday, June 4, with visitation at 1 p.m. and a 2 p.m. memorial, with Pastor Rock Hobbs presiding.
On Saturday, June 6, at Ridout’s Brown Service Chapel in Decatur on Memorial Drive, there will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Graveside services will be held at noon at Decatur Cemetery. Pallbearers are William David Byars II, Tyler Tennis Teague, Bryant Daniel Byars, Garret Byars Teague, Nathan Christopher Byars and Col. James Leonard Pillow USMC.
The family of William David Byars asks that donations be made to Transformation Ministries-Veterans Services and the Friends of Hale County in lieu of flowers. You may mail your memorial donations to Lamar and Associates CPAs, 700 27th St. S., Birmingham, AL 35233.
