Harry E. Sayle III

Harry Eugene Sayle III, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 11, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 82 years old. Harry was born on January 26, 1943, in Memphis to Harry E. Sayle Jr. and Shirley Arlene Moore. In 1944, his father, a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps, was killed in a plane crash in Columbus, Mississippi. Harry was just 16 months old. He spent his early childhood in Memphis, years he remembered fondly for the time he shared with his beloved grandfather, Harry E. Sayle Sr. When he was in the second grade, his family moved to Bradenton, Florida, where he attended Palmetto Elementary and Junior High School. There, he formed some of his most cherished childhood memories and made lifelong friends. By 1958, he had returned to Memphis and went on to attend Catholic High School, where he was a star in football and track and field. While at Catholic, Harry made the all-city football team for both offense and defense his junior year and was the recipient of both the Chick Kensinger trophy for the outstanding track and field performer as well as the Civitan certificate of achievement his senior year. Harry was awarded a football scholarship to the University of Arkansas, where he spent two years before finishing his education at Memphis State University. He received his Juris Doctor in 1985. Harry was an attorney for 40 years, much of that time as a dedicated civil servant. He continued to work in the Shelby County Public Defender's Office up until his passing. Harry is survived by his wife of 45 years, Karen Dennis; his three sons and daughters-in-law Harry E. Sayle IV (Erin) of Memphis, Peter Sayle (Hayley) of Germantown and Robert Sayle (Amber) of Knoxville; his daughter and son-in-law Hannah Sayle (David Garenne) of Minneapolis, MN; and his 9 grandchildren: Harry E. Sayle V (Hank), Virginia, Carter, Parker, Mary Ellis, Owen, Sara, Lillian and Jules. He is also survived by his sister Sherry Sayle; his brothers Lawrence and Lewis Endicott; his sister Lynn Carrington; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Harry; his mother, Shirley; and his daughter Katherine Sayle (Katie). Harry will be remembered for his humor, his kindness, his commitment to justice and his love of learning. He enjoyed reading, gardening, birdwatching, baking, playing guitar and spending time with his family. For decades, he could be found cheering on his children and grandchildren at their various sporting endeavors, from baseball and soccer games to volleyball matches and track meets. He was a longtime fan of Memphis Tigers basketball, the St. Louis Cardinals and Arsenal Football Club. A visitation will be held at Memorial Park Funeral Home in Memphis on Friday, July 25, at noon, with a memorial service to follow at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the ACLU or Real Good Dog Rescue.