Fred M. Byrd

Mr. Fred M. Byrd of Geneva passed away Tuesday, December 4, 2012.  He was 89.  Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the Geneva First Baptist Church with Rev. Nathan Carroll officiating.  Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with Pittman Funeral Home of Geneva directing.  The family will receive friends Saturday, at the church, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

 Mr. Byrd was born in Coffee Springs, AL on November 5, 1923 to the late J.H. Byrd, Sr. and Jimmie Claudia Windham Byrd.  He served in the US Navy during WWII.  He worked with Jones Specialty for many years before opening his own tire business in Geneva.  He was a faithful member and Deacon Emeritus at the First Baptist Church.  Mr. Byrd was also a Paul Harris Fellow of the Geneva Rotary Club.   He was preceded in death by his first wife, Louise Byrd, second wife, Eloise "Smitty" Corbitt Byrd and third wife, Dot McDougald Byrd; brother, Jack Byrd; and sister, Esther Knowles.

 He is survived by two sisters, Francis Montfort of Cuthbert, GA and Grace Stanley (Wallace) of Eufaula, AL; two step-sons, Don Kelly of Geneva and Chris McDougald of Chapel Hill, NC; five step-daughters, June Corbitt of Marianna, FL, Nan Allen of Nashville, TN, Elise McDougald Eikenes of Sandane, Norway, Patsy McDougald McKenna of Mobile, and Jana Fleming (Fred) of Geneva; and special friend, Ronnie Brown of Hartford.  Fred's philosophy was "I lived, I died, I went to Heaven."

 The family would like to thank Mr. Byrd's dedicated caregiver, Nellie Morris.