George Wallace Byrne III

George Wallace Byrne III, 81, of Franklin, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026, at his residence. Born on March 5, 1945, to the late George Wallace Byrne II and Mildred Birl Byrne, George graduated with the class of 1963 from Princeton Community High School in Princeton, Indiana, where he played basketball for the Tigers. He continued his athletic and academic pursuits at Kentucky Wesleyan College, playing for the KWC Panthers while earning a B.A. in Accounting.

After college, George returned to Princeton and began his career with AMF Potter & Brumfield. He was later transferred to Gainesville, Georgia, where he served as Controller and became deeply involved in Pinecrest Baptist Church as a deacon and treasurer. Following the company’s acquisition by Siemens, he returned to Princeton before settling in Franklin, Kentucky. He retired in 2000 and, together with his wife, drove school buses for the Franklin-Simpson school district while actively participating in Blackjack Baptist Church. George and Joyce shared a love for travel, enjoying memorable cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and the Mediterranean. He was also an avid philatelist and numismatist. Above all, George was a devoted provider who loved his family deeply and was cherished by them in return.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his stepbrother, Bill Byrne.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joyce Ann Byrne; son, George “Wally” Byrne (Donna) of Evansville; daughters, Lisa Toole (Kent) of Helena, Alabama, and Stephanie Boyd (Mark) of Owensville, Indiana; eight grandchildren, Sydney Hull, Isabella Toole, Wyatt Toole, Tori Claywell (Collyn), Talli Hulfachor, Tristen Boyd, Tanner Boyd, and Tessa Boyd; six great-grandchildren; his sister, Linda McKee (Jim); and several nieces and nephews.