CHATHAM,

Roy Parrish Byrd Jr, age 71, of Chatham, entered into rest on Wednesday September 25, 2019 at SOVAH Health in Danville. He was born November 10, 1947 in Danville, the son of the late Roy Parrish Byrd Sr and Hasseltine Blair Byrd. Roy was married to the late Lois Adams Byrd for 47 years before her death on January 11, 2018.
Roy was a member of Chatham Baptist Church, having served as a Deacon and was a member of the George W. Truitt Sunday School Class. He was a member and Past Master of the Pittsylvania Masonic Lodge #24.
Roy liked to say he dabbled in a little politics in and around Pittsylvania County and was a past Chairman of the Republican Party in Pittsylvania County. He served as a member and Chairman of The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors in the early 1990’s. In 1994 Governor George Allen appointed him to The State of Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board where Roy served for nine years. During this period, Roy allocated many road projects to the area. He was a member of various Pittsylvania County Development Boards including PEDO, Pittsylvania IDA, Chatham Town Council, and served as Mayor of Chatham for six years. He worked with Dominion Energy as a biomass fuel buyer supplying wood fiber to five of Dominion’s biomass plants in the state of Virginia.
He is survived by one daughter Mary Ann (Scott) Martin; one son, Aaron (Sarah) Byrd; two sisters, Nan (W.C.) Scruggs, Phyllis (David) Knight; three grandchildren, Lily Claire Martin, Luc Byrd, and Tad Byrd; two nieces, Kimberly Adams, and Shelley (Matt) Hancox; three nephews, Daniel (Kimberly) Adams, Brandon (Jenny) Scruggs, and Alan (Michelle) Knight; three great-nephews, Triston Graves, Aiden Adams, and Miles Hancox; four great-nieces, Faith Adams, Hope Adams, Sadie Hancox, and Reagan Scruggs; mother-in-law Clara Hogan Adams; one sister-in-law Amie (Jimmy) Blanks; and one brother-in-law Dannie Adams.
Roy was proud to have married into the Adams family at Riceville. He enjoyed working around the tobacco and cattle operations, and love being around Mr. Edsel Adams Country store where his brothers-in-law Dannie Adams and Jimmy Blanks made life interesting. His sister in law Amie Blanks (also Lois’s kid sister) was always devoted to her family and mother Clara Adams who was a great mother-in-law to Roy. Clara’s Sunday meals were enjoyed for many years.
Funeral services will be conducted at Chatham Baptist Church on Saturday September 28, 2019 at 11:00 am with Rev. Dr. Charles Warnock III officiating.
Burial will be private.
The family will receive friends at Chatham Baptist Church on Saturday September 28, 2019 from 10:00-11:00 am.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Chatham Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 192 Chatham, VA 24531 or to Riceville/Java Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 129, Java, VA 24565.
Scott Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Chatham is serving the Byrd family. scottfuneralhomechatham.com.