Albert L. Byer, Jr.

Albert (Bert) L. Byer, 85, entered into eternal rest Sunday, January 29th, 2023 at the National Healthcare Corporation (NHC) Rehabilitation Center in Kingsport, TN after a long battle with Parkinson’s.  He was born Dec 28, 1937 in Covington, VA, son of the late Leon and Lenabelle Byer. He married Mary Lea Trivitt on Feb 22, 1959. Bert  graduated from Virginia Tech in 1960 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and he and Mary Lea moved to Kingsport, TN. Bert spent over 30 years with Tennessee Eastman/Holston Defense until his retirement.  He was a dedicated member and past president of the Kingsport Sertoma Club.  He was also a faithful member of Colonial Heights United Methodist Church (CHUMC) serving in many different committee positions over the years. Bert will be remembered as a loving husband, dad, granddad, brother and friend who loved to play golf, watch baseball, work puzzles, photograph nature, and enjoy all things Virginia Tech. He spent hours doing woodworking in his shop, building things like furniture and bird houses. In his later years, he found peace and fulfillment watching and caring for the deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, and birds in his back yard.  He and his easy smile will be sorely missed.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at NHC for the last 2 1/2 years of care as well as the Caris Health Team for hospice care during his last months.

Survivors include his loving wife of almost 63 years, Mary Lea Byer; daughter Kathy Sutherland (Scott) of Charlotte, NC; son Mike Byer of Kingsport; granddaughters Annie Bingham (Brady) of Charlotte, NC and Julia Sutherland of Ann Arbor, MI; sisters Peggy Markham (Wilbur) and Betty Mann (Wayne) of Covington, VA and Rosie Hylton of Ridgeway, VA.

The family will receive friends on Friday at noon at Colonial Heights UMC Sanctuary located at 631 Lebanon Rd, Kingsport, TN.  A Celebration of Life will follow at 1 p.m. with Rev. Chris Brown officiating.  A private entombment will be held for the family following the service.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Bert Byer to the CHUMC Capital Fund (PO Box 6027, Kingsport, TN 37663) or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (https://give.michaeljfox.org ).

Online condolences may be left at www.hamlettdobson.com or mailed to: The Family of Bert Byer, Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, 117 East Charlemont Ave, PO Box 27, Kingsport, TN 37662.