Addie Byrd Byers

Addie Byrd Byers, died Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at home. She was a native of Liberty County, Georgia. The daughter of Samuel and Rena Byrd. She attended the public schools of Liberty County through the fifth grade. The family moved to Savannah and she attended the public schools there until she graduated from Junior High School as Valedictorian. She completed her high school education from Knoxville College in Tennessee. She received her bachelor's degree from Savannah State College (University) and her Master Degree from Columbia University. She did other post graduate study, consisting for the most part of short courses at Atlanta University, New York University, University of Southern California, Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of Michigan where she received a P-5 Certificate in Supervision and Administration. As an educator, Mrs. Byers served as a high school principal in Bartow, Georgia. She was for many years a high school teacher in Savannah and was a member of the Advisory Board to the Chatham County Board of Education. She also served as a part-time teacher at Savannah State College. She was a member of the ESSA Board of Education, American Association of University Women, and a Life member of the National Education Association. Mrs. Byers, in addition to her other contributions, she has been active civically and politically. She has vigorously supported local, state and national candidates of her choice and was herself a winning candidate oon three occasions - twice a member of the Chatham County Democratic Executive Committee and once as a member of the Georgia Democratic Executive Committee. Among her numerous accomplishments and awards: Lieutenant Colonel A.D.C on Governor Busbee's staff, member Auxiliary Board of O.I. C., Recording Secretary of the Elite Temple No. 71 Daughter of Elks and a member of the Forty-F irst Street Community Club. A Street in Cloverdale with plush homes is named Addie Byers Drive. Mrs. Byers was also a Life Member of the NAACP and Second Vice-President of the Savannah Branch. During the hazardous years in the late fifties and early sixties, when any black in public employment would risk his or her job and sometimes his or her well-being by speaking out on the question of civil rights, Mrs. Byers was always willing to make her position known to everyone. Without question she was an outstanding role model for courage and commitment to the young people with whom she was in daily contact as a teacher. During this period she campaigned openly and vigorously for the NAACP membership and she invariably reported more than a hundred membership in every campaign. In like manner, Mrs. Byers conducted herself as a member of the Chatham-Effingham -Liberty Regional Library Board, a position she held for fifteen years. While on the Board, she never retreated from her conviction tha t all citizens of the areas which the Library served would have equal access and equal opportunity to all Library facilities, including reading materials, site locations, bookmobiles and jobs. The black community and in particular the black youth of our community, do indeed owe Mrs. Byers a deep debt of gratitude for her efforts as a member of the Library Board. Harry Golden's book "You're Entitled " epitomizes the personality and character of Addie Byrd Byers better than anything else could say. She was a member of St. Philip African Methodist Episcopal Church where she served as a member of the Trustee Board. She was a Charter member of the 1938-39 Beach High Alumni Association. Her hobbies were: Traveling, collecting baseball pendants and playing Pinochle. Survivors: foster daughter, Mrs. Eloise Castain of Savannah; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives. Funeral Services: 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 6, 2003 at St. Philip A.M.E. Church, 613 Martin Lu ther King, Jr. Blvd. The Rev. Gregory V. Eason, officiating. Interment: Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Allenhurst, GA. Williams & Williams Funeral Home Savannah Morning News, December 5, 2003 Please sign our Obituary Guestbook at www.savannahnow.com