Larry Byars

BYARS, Larry Mr. Larry Jerone Byars, age 71, passed away Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at Peachtree Christian Hospice, after a short illness. Memorial Services will be 3:00 p.m., Sunday, February 8, 2015 at Johns Creek Baptist Church, 6910 McGinnis Ferry Road, Alpharetta, Georgia. Dr. Truett Gannon, Rev. David White and Rev. Derrick Moore will officiate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service and there will be a reception following the service. The son of Henry and Lula Morris Byars, Larry was born in Rome, Georgia moving to Hapeville in the fifties. Larry graduated from Hapeville High School in 1961. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Industrial Management from Georgia Institute of Technology. He worked at Lockheed on the C5A Transport project, and then Western Electric in Burlington, North Carolina as a Planning Engineer, where he met his wife of 45 years, Elizabeth Barber Byars. While in graduate school at Georgia Tech,he stared taking flying lessons and decided to pursue a career with the airlines as a pilot. After building his hours with private flying, Larry was hired by Southern Airways on November 3, 1969. While at Southern Airways he held the position of Assistant Chief Pilot and Chief Pilot. Southern Airways through a merger became Republic Airlines and then Northwest Airlines. Larry retired in 2003 after 33 ½ years of service. Larry and Elizabeth lived in Stone Mountain, Georgia for over 25 years, where they were members of Smoke Rise Baptist Church. Larry served on the finance committee and as a Deacon. He was presently living in Duluth, Georgia and was a member of Johns Creek Baptist Church and the Atlanta Athletic Club. Larry is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; mother, Lula Byars; nieces, Susan (Ed) Byars Ross and Elizabeth (Alfie) Means; nephew, Lee Byars; sister-in-law, Linda Byars; adored great nephew, Jack Henry Ross; great niece, Ashlen Ross; and great nephew, Iverson Means. His father and brother preceded him in death. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to: Alexander Tharpe Fund c/o Larry and Elizabeth Byars Athletic Scholarship, 150 Bobby Dodd Way N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0455; Fellowship of Christian Athletes, GTFC, P.O. Box 79103, Atlanta, Georgia 30357, gatechfac.com; or Peachtree Christian Hospice, 3430 Duluth Park Lane, Duluth, Georgia 30096. Memorial Park South Funeral Home, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542 is in charge of arrangements. Send on-line condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.