William Crumbly Byrd, 86, formerly of Tifton, GA, passed away Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Opelika, AL. His funeral service will be held July 31, 2026, at First Methodist Church in Tifton at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Chip Grantham officiating. The family will receive friends at First Methodist Church in Tifton from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service. Mr. Byrd will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Born on February 10, 1940, Mr. Byrd was the son of Nellie Stevens Byrd. The youngest of five children, his family affectionately referred to him as “Sonny Boy” throughout his childhood. He took pride in working at the Tifton Gazette as a student at Tifton High School until he graduated in 1959. Of his family of four brothers and one sister, he was the only one to graduate from high school.
He met the love of his life, his wife Beverly, in Columbia, SC, while stationed at Fort Jackson as a soldier serving in the United States Army in 1962. William went on to have a very successful career in the steel pipe industry, working with companies like L.B. Foster Company and Consolidated Pipe & Supply throughout the southeastern US. He eventually started his own company, River Steel Valve and Pipe, in Metairie, Louisiana.
Upon his return to Tifton, Mr. Byrd developed multiple personal care homes located in Tifton, Moultrie, and Sycamore, Georgia. Additionally, he owned many residential rental properties in Tifton. He was active in Tifton’s community, where he served on the historical commission and was a member of the Rotary Club. He was also previously a member of Spring Hill Country Club and Tifton Elks Lodge. Mr. Byrd was the recipient of the George A Wright Memorial Award in 2018 for his positive contributions to his community as a devoted family man, business leader, and active member of his church.
He loved cooking many dishes he learned from his time living in New Orleans, including red beans and rice, gumbo, and jambalaya. He and Beverly loved traveling, whether it was to Florida’s beaches or across the ocean to Europe, and he reflected on those memories often. He never met a stranger and always had an opinion on any subject, including politics, and was seldom wrong – at least he thought so. Most of all, he loved his wife and being with his family.
Mr. Byrd is survived by his son, Beau Byrd and wife Kathy of Birmingham, Alabama; a daughter, Grace Byrd Morris and husband, David, of Auburn, Alabama; six grandchildren, Gillian Jones Patton, Ryan Jones, Walker Byrd, Carter Byrd, Lainey Morris, and Crawford Morris; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Altar Fund - First Methodist Church of Tifton, 107 12th Street West, Tifton, GA 31794.