Jerry Wayne Byrum

Jerry Wayne Byrum Jerry Wayne Byrum, aged 66, passed away on January 24th at The Christopher House, Hospice Austin, after a brave battle with cancer. Jerry was born in Taylor, Texas and grew up in Tyler. He received his Eagle Scout while in high school and was a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. A decorated Vietnam War Veteran, Jerry met his wife, Wendy, on furlough in Australia and began a whirlwind romance. They were married after only a few meetings, and returned to Austin, Texas, where they made their home. "Jere" to his wife, "Daddy" to his daughters and "JerBear" to his friends, Jerry loved being outdoors, especially if it was for a game of golf. He enjoyed a great glass of wine and a gourmet dinner, or just a perfectly cooked steak, which only he could seem to master on the grill. He was riveted by UT football (except for this last year) and could enjoy generally anything on TV. He will be remembered as a quiet man, yet when he spoke, it was almost always a poignant statement that the room would crane to listen to. Jerry seemed to have a grunt for every emotion or word in the alphabet, and his family and friends were adept at translating. Jerry was known for his dry sense of humor, which almost always accompanied his crooked grin. His emotions were always moving beneath the surface and any beautiful moment would immediately bring tears to his eyes. Jerry was brilliant in school and even smarter in real life. He must have had the answer to absolutely everything, especially if it was related to history, directions to anywhere in Texas, and construction or anything home related. He was a student of everything, whether it was navigating something technological or perfecting his puttanesca recipe. He was usually seen with a good book, which was always his mode of escape. Jerry was private about his spiritual beliefs, but grew his relationship with God during his fight against cancer. Jerry is survived by his wife, Wendy, his daughter Jessica and her husband Kraig Sanders, his daughter Katherine Byrum, and his future granddaughter, Railey Sanders. A Celebration of Life memorial will be held at Jerry's home on February 4th at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be sent to The Christopher House, Hospice Austin.