Frances Garvin Byrne

Francis Garvin Byrne was born May 9, 1927 to the Late Hugh and Adelaide Garvin. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a brother James and a sister Terry. She was survived by her husband, Bill Byrne; her sister, Adelaide and her brother, Hugh; her children: Larry Byrne and his wife Sarah of Ashland, VA, Mary Cox and husband Guy Wayne of Selmer, TN, Joe Byrne and his wife Patricia of San Jose, CA, and Ann Byrne of Janetville Ontario, CA; her grandchildren: Marcie Moyer and her husband Don, Anne Wash and her husband Brian, Tim Taylor and his wife Wendy, Tracy Moore and her husband Joey, Nate Byrne, Aaron Byrne, Sean Winchester, Travis Winchester, and Emma Saude; and her great grandchildren: Morgan, Reid, Sarah, Andrew, Caroline, Sydney, Dexter, Kaylee and Britteny.
She passed on November 5 in her home in McNairy County from complications of Alzheimer’s, and the family wishes to thank friends and the community for their compassionate and prayerful support.
She met her husband of 67 years at Stanford University. She went to Stanford as a math major and switched to political science. For her generation she was a homemaker: a wonderful wife, mother and full-time volunteer. Her community involvement included the League of Women Voters. She became a leader at the local, state and national levels. When the family moved from Memphis to McNairy County she organized and ran the family Christmas Farm called Grand Futures for her grandchildren. She also supported the organization of the Big Hill Fire Department and the Arts in McNairy program. As a wife and a partner she served as a hostess and role model for graduate students from around the world, medical students, Urban Youth from Frayser and the teenagers who staffed the Christmas Tree Farm.
The Big Hill Pond Fire Department will have a Celebration of Fran's Life on Sunday, November 16th from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. There will be a brief program at 2:00 p.m. led by Jerry Trainum and Fran Byrne's son Joe from California. This will be a time to share stories of the organization of the fire department and a time to collect pictures. Fran's family is also hoping that the great crew of the Christmas Tree operation will come and share their recollections of adventures with Fran (and Bill) on Christmas Tree Ln. For more information call Jerry at 731-645-5764 or Bill Byrne at 901-626-6008

Also: A Celebration of Fran's Life will be held at the Arkwings Conference and Retreat Center at 2034 James Rd. in Memphis, TN on Sunday November 23th from 1 until 3 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the Arkwings Foundation, attn. Dr. John McCall