Mr. Joe Willie Byrd

Sending prayers to the Byrd Family It´s been awhile but in the 70´s we went to school with Laurie and Tim Hamady high & elementary school my dad Linsey Lewis use to help joe Byrd out with the golden gloves boxing. I believe they started in his basement or small building until it grew to be quite big. My brother Joe Lewis played basketball for Hamady took them to playoffs Joe Byrd and my dad was friends. He will truly be missed. Will keep you all in our prayers

My son Boxed under Joe in 1979. He started after his coach from Grand Blanc died. He said that Joe was tough but in a good way. Boxing saved my son. He was heading in the wrong direction and boxing gave him confidence and a goal. Thank you Joe. Thank you Golden Gloves for the opportunity you gave the community.

I was just an angry young man looking for an outlet in the 90´s. Coach Byrd let me train at the gym on Dewey. Never went anywhere with boxing but I´ll never forget my brief time with him and some of the Byrd family. My prayers to the Byrd family. Flint has lost a great one.

Our Prayers go out to the entire Family in the loss of Joe Byrd. He and his entire family have made great contributions to the entire Flint Community. I had the opportunity to spend some time with 2 of his great boxing children, Chris, and Tracy. They both made contributions to our organization, the Flint Township Minority Coalition, which I was President. They participated in our Basketball Fundraisers to help with Scholarships for Minority Students graduating from Carman-Ainsworth High School. The entire Byrd Family made was a great asset to the entire Flint Community, plus the fact that Joe was the Coach of the Olympic Team, in which Chris won the Silver Medal in 1992. May Joe Rest in Peace, and I will always remember the contributions he made to the Flint area. Attorney Hewitt Chatman, Plant City, FL, and former President of Flint Township Minority Coalition. May God Bless.

Joe Byrd was a great man with a humble heart. Joe loved everything boxing. When my family went to visit with Joe and Rose in Flint. We had a good meal and plenty of conversation about boxing, watching home movies of any of the kid boxing, to looking at photo albums full of places that most of us only read about or see on TV. Cousin Joe, you truly have fought a good fight. Now, May You Rest in Heavenly Peace. To the rest of my family. May God wrap his loving arms around each of you. To give you the support that only God can give to see you through this moment. Love you guys, The Townsend Family in Lansing, Michigan.

To the BYRD FAMILY may the Lord give you peace and comfort at this time. MR BYRD was a warm and wonderful man who really loved the YOUTH and citizens of FLINT.He was truly a great and blessed father,COACH HUSBAND and man of God who gave his all to our Community . His dedication and sprit to train and teach the art of Boxing and life to those who wanted to learn can't and will be truly missed. May the Lord bless you all and fill your hearts with Pride to know he was a blessing to our city and around the world . GOD Bless you all and may MR. BYRD R.I.P. THE JACKSON FAMILY.