Dr. Zachary Duncan Byerly

Dr. Zachary Duncan Byerly, a resident of Baton Rouge, passed away on October 9, 2022. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa on April 2, 1984. Zachary attended East Baton Rouge Parish Schools, graduating from McKinley High School in 2002. He attended LSU as an undergraduate and graduate student, earning a B.S. in Physics in 2007 and a Ph.D. in Physics with a focus on astrophysics in 2014. After his graduation, Zachary pursued a career in high performance computing.

Zachary is survived by his wife, Evelynne Maria Zatta; his parents Gary Ray Byerly and Maud Maureen Walsh; his brother Benjamin Lee Byerly; his uncles and aunts Michael Sean Walsh and his wife Marie, James Liam Walsh and his wife Bridget, and Douglas Padriac Walsh; and his cousins John Wesley Byerly, Catharine Estelle Walsh, Elizabeth Marie Walsh, and Matthew Burns Walsh.

Zachary cherished his wife, Evelynne, and their family of dogs. He learned Portuguese so that he could converse with his in-laws, especially his father-in-law Sergio Zatta. A gifted communicator, Zachary loved talking about science to colleagues, friends, and family. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was able to make others laugh at the least expected times. Zachary enjoyed cycling and being a member of the bike community. He cared deeply about justice and human rights. Zachary signed up to be an organ donor and would have been happy to know how many people benefitted from his gifts.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 21, 2022, at 4:30 pm, followed by a celebration of Zach’s life at 6:30 pm, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Doctors Without Borders or another charity of your choice.