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DR. WILLIS E. BYRD

December 27, 1922  -  September 9, 2015

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“EVERY MAN TEACHES AS HE ACTS. HE WILL SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN SO THAT THEY WILL SPEAK TO THEIR CHILDREN. HE WILL SET AN EXAMPLE AND NOT GIVE OFFENSE.”
by: Ptahhotep

TIES THAT BIND

Through the sacred union of his parents, Edward D. and Annie L. (nee Jones) Byrd, beloved Dr. Willis Edward Byrd was summoned to life by God in Athens, Georgia on December 27, 1922. He faithfully and consistently answered the Creator’s “call” with enthusiasm, integrity, kindness, and curiosity, peppered by an insatiable love for God, his family, colleagues, friends and teachings.

On September 9, 2015, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, Illinois, Dr. Byrd was called from ”labor to reward.” He was 92 years young. At the time of his death, he enjoyed a peaceful, purposeful life as a resident of Swansea, Illinois where he lived for the past eight years with his devoted goddaughter, Mrs. Kim (Dave) Fort; godchildren, William Brandon, David Bobby “Tip” and Jessica Marie; along with the family’s two dogs, Cocoa (who Dr. Byrd declared had an I.Q of a thousand) and Blue.

Dr. Byrd's parents; his two siblings, Sarah L. (Byrd) King and Isaac J. Byrd; one aunt, Mary E. Jones; brother–in-law, Arteria Albert King; and godson, Devin Bryce Fort, preceded him in death.


“UBUNTU” (I Am Because You Are)

When responding to questions about his academic achievements and distinguished career in research and teaching, Dr. Byrd frequently paused (as though suddenly experiencing the warmth of the sun) chuckled and then began his response, first speaking passionately about his parents, then naming role models such as Saint Elmore Brady, the first African American PhD in Chemistry and Dr. Lorenzo Greene, Mr. Charles Jackson, Mr. Cecil Blue and others who “inspired in me a love for learning.”
Dr. Byrd attended elementary and secondary school, during the Jim Crow era, in Athens, Georgia. In spite of social, economic and glaring inequities in the schools, he vigorously pursued his educational goals and earned an AB in Chemistry, with honors, from Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama. He later earned a PhD in Physical Chemistry, from the University of Iowa, and completed post graduate studies at MIT, Fisk, Washington University, Grinnell College (IA), Pratt Institute (NY), and the University of Illinois.
Dr. Byrd’s legacy officially began, in 1949, following a tour of duty in the United States Army, (370th Infantry, during WW ll, in Italy), when he began 39 years of teaching and dedicated service to Lincoln University, in Jefferson City, Missouri. He started as an associate professor of chemistry and, later became a tenured professor, holding several positions of leadership – including, head of the Department of Chemistry; Chairman of the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics and the LU Curator's Distinguished Professorship. His research, in chemistry, on the structure and stability of amine charge transfer complexes, has received global recognition and citations in previewed journals. Dr. Byrd loved teaching, at Lincoln, because of the freedom he had to include students in research studies; essentially, making them collaborative partners who challenged him to assume the role of teacher and student. Sharing stories about lessons learned from students was Dr. Byrd’s way of affirming the reciprocal value of teaching.


“May the Work I’ve Done, Speak for me”


During his illustrious career in academia, Dr. Byrd was a visiting scientist at the Missouri Academy of Science and the National Science Foundation. He authored many articles and is credited with having acquired many grant awards for Lincoln University-including, the first National Science Foundation research grants. Dr. Byrd has been lauded by generations of students and colleagues, as a premier educator. His zeal for teaching and learning was infectious. His life and works inspired the careers of hundreds of successful scientists, medical professionals and educators. He was a member of Phi Lambda Upsilon-National Honorary Chemical Society and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Eta Alpha Chapter, in 1940, and was a life time member of Omega Psi Phi, Tau Pi Chapter, in East St. Louis, Illinois.
As a distinguished, scholar, scientist, researcher, author and master teacher, Dr. Byrd was the recipient of numerous honors and awards. In the late 70's, four alumni, who completed pre-med studies at Lincoln, established a scholarship in his name. Former students, Dr. Clemons Haggerty; Dr. Elizabeth James; Dr. David Scott and Dr. Raymond Wilbers, provide funding for the Dr. Willis E. Byrd Scholarship, which is awarded annually, at the Lincoln University Honors Convocation. In 2012, he received the Lincoln University Alumni Association President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Also, in 2012, a group of seven LU alumni created a living memorial that celebrates Dr. Byrd's tenure of 39 years as professor extraordinaire; his love for conducting research; teaching; Lincoln University and its students. Obrie Smith, Chair; Walter Gooley; Dr. Wilma Ardine Kirchhofer - Marbury; Dr. Earl Wheatfall; Dr. Elaine Christian Mosley; MaryAnn Botts Dunlap and Sharion McDonald Jenkins, organized the Dr. Willis E. Byrd Committee on Lincoln University Science Legacies to support STEM initiatives that will increase science graduates from Lincoln University through recognition and exposure to exemplary university science faculty. The Committee believes Dr. Byrd is a standard bearer for intellectual integrity, academic excellence and principled teaching. In his honor, the Committee has sponsored two science symposia. The first was held in 2013, on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, MO., and the second, took place in April, 2014, at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO. At its August, 2015, meeting, Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr., LU President, presented the Committee’s request, and the LU Board of Curators approved, to install a bronze bust of Dr. Byrd in the Lloyd Gaines Center of the Inman E. Page Library, on Lincoln University’s historical campus. Funding for the project is privately secured through the Committee's ongoing fundraising efforts. The group has produced a DVD that is believed to be the only existing conversation with Dr. Byrd that will enable him “to teach” for eternity.
Left to mourn; yet, cherish sweet memories of life with Dr. Byrd, are his loving goddaughter, Mrs. Kim (Dave) Fort; godsons, William Brandon and David Bobby; goddaughter, Jessica and a host of caring cousins; Mrs. Janet (Ezell) Stephens, Ms. Camille Stephens, Mr. Charles (Carolyn) Christian, Mrs. Mary (Col. Maynard) Brown, Mrs. Brenda May, Mr. Eddie Dean (Kay) Christian, Mrs. Brenda Cheeks, Mrs. Janice Byrd King, Mrs. Julie Christian, Mr. William Henry Byrd, Rev. Willie J. Christian and scores of colleagues and friends whose relationships with Dr. Byrd have endured across decades.

Memorials may be sent to the Dr. Willis E. Byrd "Bust" Fund; c/o of Lincoln University Foundation, Inc., Lincoln University; 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, Missouri.