HLS 16RS-3248 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 106
BY REPRESENTATIVES BAGLEY, CARMODY, COX, GLOVER, HORTON, MIKE
JOHNSON, JIM MORRIS, NORTON, REYNOLDS, AND SEABAUGH
CONDOLENCES: Expresses condolences upon the death of Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr.
1 A RESOLUTION
2To express the condolences of the House of Representatives upon the death of Jerry
3 Barksdale Byrd, Sr.
4 WHEREAS, the members of the House of Representatives were saddened to learn
5of the departure from this life of Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr., on April 21, 2016, at the age of
6eighty; and
7 WHEREAS, the second of Frank Carl and Annie Laura Byrd's four sons, Jerry Byrd
8was born October 4, 1935, and just thirteen years after his arrival on Earth, Jerry's first
9written work appeared in the Shreveport Journal in the form of a scouting report published
10in the Shreveport Journal; and
11 WHEREAS, Jerry Byrd was the first boy scout in the Norwella Council to win the
12Quill Scroll Award, given to scouts who publish more than twenty thousand words; it was
13the first of many awards for one of Louisiana's most decorated sports journalists; and
14 WHEREAS, at Hamilton Terrace Junior High School, Jerry Byrd played left tackle
15on a team that went unbeaten, untied, and was not scored on but despite the team's success,
16Jerry realized that he belonged in the press box and not on the field; he transferred to Fair
17Park High School in his junior year where he found his niche on the school's newspaper, the
18Pow Wow, and was sports editor his senior year; and
19 WHEREAS, Jerry Byrd majored in journalism at Northwestern State College,
20worked as a manager for the Northwestern State Demon basketball team, ran and won an
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HR NO. 106
1intramural cross country race, and was sports editor and elected as editor of the Current
2Sauce, Northwestern State's school newspaper; and
3 WHEREAS, Jerry graduated from Northwestern State on May 28, 1957, and began
4his professional journalism career the very next morning at the Shreveport Journal; some
5thirteen years later, Jerry Byrd was named sports editor of the paper and retained his position
6until the Journal ceased publication in 1991; he published a column in every weekday
7edition for more than six years; and
8 WHEREAS, Jerry Byrd was sports editor of the Minden Press Herald and the
9Bossier Press Tribune; he held the position at the Tribune from 1993-2012; and
10 WHEREAS, in 1992, Jerry Byrd became the first recipient of the Lifetime
11Achievement Award from the Louisiana Track & Field Coaches Association; he is the only
12sportswriter to be selected "Mr. Basketball" by the Louisiana Basketball Coaches
13Association; in 1996, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana
14Sportswriters Association; he was inducted in the Louisiana High School Athletic
15Association Hall of Fame in 2001, only the second sportswriter so honored; the Contribution
16to Amateur Football award was given to Jerry Byrd in 2005 from the S.M. McNaughton
17Chapter of the National Football Foundation; in 2006, he received the Nth Degree from
18Northwestern State University for lifetime achievement; and in 2012, Jerry Byrd was
19inducted into the Ark-La-Tex Sports Museum of Champions; and
20 WHEREAS, Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr., founded and coached the Shreveport Track
21Club and coached the City of Shreveport Swim Team; he organized the High Five Track &
22Field Series and the Meet of Champions; and
23 WHEREAS, most are blessed to find one true love in this life, but Jerry found two;
24he married Patricia "Pat" Ann Hood on June 12, 1965, and to this union, Tricia and Jerry,
25Jr., were born; Pat Byrd left her beloved Jerry for an eternal home in 2001; in June 2003,
26Jerry met Barbara Copeland and the couple were married two months later; and
27 WHEREAS, although the departure of a loved one leaves a void that can never be
28filled, family, friends, and colleagues will fondly recall good times shared with Jerry
29Barksdale Byrd, Sr., and left to cherish his memory are Barbara, his wife; son Jerry Jr., and
30wife Amanda, and daughter Tricia Hagan; brothers Ronald James Byrd and wife Donna,
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HR NO. 106
1John Alan Byrd and wife Delaine, and Thomas Everett Byrd and wife Kay; grandchildren
2Logan, Dakota, and Jordan Ward, Caleb Stacey, Caitlin Byrd, and Emily and Katy Bailey;
3and
4 WHEREAS, Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr., was a husband, brother, father, sportswriter,
5legend, and an icon in journalism, and Louisiana mourns the loss of one of her native sons
6who wrote for more than fifty years about sports and provided reading entertainment to
7thousands.
8 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
9Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express deepest sympathies to the family and friends
10of Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr., and does hereby extend best hopes for comfort and peace to all
11whose hearts are hurting at the loss of this journalism legend.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
13to the family of Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 106 Original 2016 Regular Session Bagley
Expresses condolences upon the passing of Jerry Barksdale Byrd, Sr.
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