L. Tonnett Byrd

L. Tonnett “Tony” Byrd, one of Austin’s most distinguished attorneys, avid sportsman, and rancher, passed away on September 9, 2007. Tony was born in Hamburg, Arkansas on June 25, 1921. He served in the United States Navy as a fighter pilot, graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1950 and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas that same year. Tony was the founding partner of the law firm of Byrd, Davis & Eisenberg which he began in 1959 as Byrd & Davis. He was a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers (an invitation only association of lawyers limited to the top 1% of lawyers in the United States and Canada) and was the first lawyer in Travis County to receive a lifetime “Distinguished Achievement Award” from the Travis County Young Lawyers Association. Tony served as a Director of the Travis County Bar Association in 1960-61 and in 1991, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Lawyer Award presented by that organization. He was listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Who’s Who in American Law.” Tony’s legacy as a trial lawyer grew from his representation of consumers who were injured by defective products, aircrafts, automobiles and all types of negligent conduct in both State and Federal Courts throughout the State of Texas. He was a pioneer in trying products liability cases in the 1960’s and 1970’s when the law of strict liability in tort was evolving in the State of Texas. Tony was preceded in death by his parents, Charley and Arrie Byrd, and his sister, Kathleen Oslin. Tony was a devoted husband, father and friend. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Reba Byrd and his daughter, Jana Byrd of Austin; niece, K.T. Oslin, of Nashville, TN; nephew, Larry Oslin Sr., of Dallas, TX; and numerous other family and friends. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 13, 2007 at Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel. Entombment will follow at Forest Oaks Memorial Park Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be Don L. Davis, Chuck Hibbets, Hollis Jefferies, Marion S. Roberts, Charlie Sampley, and Roy C. Whitaker. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Netterville, Steve Rowe, and Charlie Burnett. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Tony’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Austin Chapter, 3420 Executive Center Dr., Suite 301, Austin, Texas 78731 or to the Austin Symphony Society, 1101 Red River, Austin, Texas 78701. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com