Joe Sterling Bybee

Bright-Holland Funeral Home has scheduled graveside services for 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 13th, at Knights of Honor Cemetery in Blossom with Rev. Mike Fortenberry officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Joe was born March 17, 1930, to Sytha Ann Stuart Bybee and Sterling Price “Bob” Bybee of the Jennings Community. He was of the Methodist faith. Joe attended school at Reno, Paris High School, Cisco Junior College, and Midwestern University in Wichita Falls. He served in the United States Air Force from 1947-1951 and was stationed in Alaska and Montana. In 1950, he married Betty Glover of Blossom. They were married 48 years before her death in 1998.

After service days Joe worked for Southwestern Bell and AT&T for 34 years, twenty of these in Paris helping maintain the old mechanical switching system and installing the computerized system that replaced it. The day after retirement, Sister Mary Eustace hired him to take care of the St. Joseph’s Hospital telephone systems and computer lines. For twenty-years he worked for both Paris hospitals.

Preceding him in death are his wife, Betty, his parents, and an infant great grandchild, Alexander Joe Henry.

In 1999, Joe married Carol Hale Dandridge of Paris. They have had twenty years together.

Joe’s two children are Lynn Goodman and husband Jerry of Grapevine and Dell Bybee of Blossom. His grandchildren are; Kelly Henry & husband Brad of Friendswood, Casey Goodman & wife Reagan of Rogers, AR, Nikki Goodale & husband Wade of Paris, Jodie Welch & husband Aaron of Detroit, and Heather Wicks & husband Gary of Paris. Great grandchildren include Grace Henry, Evelyn Henry, Colin Miller, Audrey Goodman, Lilly Goodale, Laney Welch, Serenity Payne, Mackenzie Wicks, Corbin Waldroup, and Hyleigh Wicks.

Joe’s extended family includes children, Crista Burzynski & husband Steve of Round Rock, Suzanne & Kevin Masterson of Seattle, and Amanda Clark & husband Joe of Sulphur Springs. The grandchildren are David Burzynski & wife Carla, Josh Burzynski, Hannah Burzynski, Hayley Masterson, Keelan Masterson, Ruth Clark, and Joseph Clark and one great grandchild, Matthew Burzynski.

Joe was a loving and steadfast man to this large family and a helpful friend to many. The family wishes to thank family and friends for their many acts of kindness and On Call Hospice for their special care during this time.

If desired, donations may be made to Blossom United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 337, Blossom, TX 75416.

Honorary casket bearers will be: Aaron Welch, Wade Goodale, Casey Goodman, Gary Wicks, Brad Henry, and Joe Clark.