Extracted from The Camden News (Camden, AR)
Thursday, December 26, 1963

DR. E. J. BYRD

Dr. E. J. Byrd, 88, well known Camden physician and surgeon, died Christmas Day at 3:40 a.m. at the Ouachita County Hospital following a lengthy illness. He had practiced medicine for 65 years in Ouachita, Calhoun and Dallas Counties.

Dr. Byrd was born near Hampton in a log cabin in 1875, the eldest of seven children. He was reared on a farm. He obtained his education in the Calhoun County schools, and was graduated from Woodberry Normal School.

In 1902 he received an M.D. degree from Memphis Hospital Medical College of the University of Tennessee, having practiced since 1898 under a license of a county law of the times. He obtained a state license in 1903.

Dr. Byrd spent five years in educational work, and served one summer as deputy sheriff of Calhoun County. He practiced medicine for many years in Bearden where he served as physician and surgeon for the Cotton Belt Railroad, and for 15 years was physician for Missouri Pacific Railroad here at Camden, and also served as medical director for the Garland Anothony Interests.

He moved his family to Camden in 1941 and was associated with Dr. R. B. Robins for 29 years. He served three terms as state senator of the 12th district, 1953-59. He was active in civic and service clubs also.

Dr. Byrd was a past-president of Fifth District of Medical Society; past-president of Ouachita Med. Society, director of Ouachita County T.B. Assn. and served on many other medical organizations. In 1955 he received a citation from Arkansas Medical Society for excellence in public service, and at the end of 50 years of practice, was presented a Golden T Certificate from the University of Tennessee.

He was a director of the First National Bank of Fordyce and was a deacon in First Baptist Church, Camden. He was recognized and given tribute in the Centennial History of Arkansas Who's Who.

He was a 32nd Degree Mason, past member of the Lions Club, and a member of the Woodmen of the World. He was physician for the Freman Smith Lumber Company when it operated sawmill at Millville for many years.

Dr. Byrd is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elinor Futrell Byrd; one son, Dr. E. H. Byrd, Leesville, La.; four daughters, Mrs. Clarice McElvaney, Mrs. Virginia Whiteside, Mrs. Mary Lou Lilly, all of Little Rock and Mrs. Josephine Peppe of Camden; one step-son, James Justice [sic Justiss] of Forrest City; two sisters, Mrs. B. F. Stringfellow of El Dorado and Mrs. J. H. Morrison of Camden; one brother, Bruce Byrd of El Dorado, and 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday morning at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Camden.

Dr. John Maddox will of[f]iciate. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Fordyce, with Proctor Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

The body will lie in state at the funeral chapel.

Pallbearers will be, active -- Dr. R. B. Robins, Dr. P. J. Dalton, Weems Trussell, Carmel Talbot, Harmon Ross, Homer Livingston, Mike Berg, E. L. Harrison, E. J. Barron and Donald Broach.

Honorary -- Sen. John L. McClellan, Gov. Orval E. Faubus, Lt. Gov. Nathan Gordon, C. Hamilton Moses, Garland Anthony, Dr. Joe Shuffield, Dr. Daniel H. Autry, Dr. Harvey Shipp, Dr. Forrest Dunnaway, Dr. T. E. Rhine, Smith Foster, Winston Walker, H. B. Silliman, Ritchie Morgan, Wallace Hurley, Lewie Strange, Matthew Rothert, Earl Clifton, Board of Deacons of First Baptist Church, Members Ouachita County Medical Society, and Directors First National Bank, Fordyce.
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Extracted from the Pine Bluff Commercial (Pine Bluff, AR)
Thursday, December 26, 1963

Edward Jones Byrd

CAMDEN (AP) -- Dr. Edward Jones Byrd, 88, a former state senator, died Wednesday at a Camden hospital.

He was a widely known physician and a native of Hampton. He had been in ill health for several months.

Byrd was a state senator in 1953-59.