Roy Tyre was a father, husband, engineer, church leader, veteran and a “builder”. His lifelong quest to serve the Lord and learn manifest itself in his family, in leading church youth and building programs, in developing leading edge electrical and communications engineering products, in his passion for fishing and in his patriotism for the United States of America. Roy was born in 1931 to a south Georgia farmer and reared in Screven, Georgia. He was valedictorian at Screven High and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He worked with missile testing and satellite deployment in New Mexico as an Airman First Class, before his honorable discharge in 1954. He came to Atlanta and began studies at Georgia Institute of Technology. He visited a fledging electronics company on a Friday seeking a job. He was greeted at the door by a man who asked a few questions then told him to return Monday and start to work. The man was Glen Robinson, ultimately chairman and CEO. The company was Scientific Atlanta. Roy was hired as the 7th employee of the company and thus began a 40-year career as an electrical engineer for the firm. Along the way, he developed products that included several shared and individual patents and in his last major project, was a part of the development team for the set-top boxes used by cable companies across the nation. He was a member of Scientific Atlanta’s Quarter Century Club. Roy was equally a builder of his spiritual belief in Jesus Christ, through his personal learning, through his family and through his work with several churches. He was a deacon and co-chair Sunday School Superintendent with his wife, Norma, at First Baptist Church of Chamblee. They became charter members of Northeast Baptist Church where he was building committee chairman, youth leader, deacon and Sunday school teacher. They later joined Briarlake Baptist Church, where he continued his work as deacon and youth teacher/leader. He was a lifelong friend and supporter of pastors at every church.
Roy passed to eternity on August 7, 2008. He is preceded in death by his parents, Felton and Myrtle Tyre, first wife, Norma Kennedy Tyre and sister, Elwanda Carter. He is survived by his second wife, Eliana Belsuzarri Tyre; his sons, Michael (and Jacquelyn) Tyre; Gerald (and Christine) Tyre; Mark (and Susan) Tyre; and daughter, LuAnn (and Jim) Eaton. He is survived by his sisters, Irma Tyre and Peggy McBee, both of Wayne County, Georgia. He has nine grandchildren as a legacy. Visitation with the family will be held at A.S. Turner & Sons on Saturday, August 9 from 5-8pm. Graveside service will be held at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens on Sunday, August 10 at 1pm. A Celebration and Memorial Service will be held in the sanctuary of Briarlake Baptist Church on Sunday, August 10 at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Roy Tyre to the tireless and courageous warriors of Hospice Atlanta (for more information, www.vnhs.org). A. S. Turner & Sons
