Howard Harris Funeral Service
Rayford James Byers CW3 (Retired)Celebration of life for Rayford J. Byers will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at Union Baptist Church in Lawton. Rev. Willie J. Tiller Jr of Union Baptist Church officiating. Under the direction of Howard Harris funeral services. Visitation will be January 6, 2025, from 4:00pm-6:00pm at Howard Harris Funeral Services, 1005 SW C Ave Lawton, OK. Rayford James Byers was born on September 9, 1944, to Joe Willie Byers and Bessie Mae Byers in Lorenzo, Texas. He entered eternal rest on December 26, 2024, at the age of 80. Rayford grew up in Lorenzo, Texas. Rayford was next to the youngest of (8) eight children. He attended elementary school in Lorenzo and graduated from Evans High School in Slaton, Texas. Rayford met and married Arnesia Johnson, December 1965, while stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. They have two children: Terry Byers, and Angela Byers- Pierce, both of Lawton. Rayford and Arnesia were married for 59 years, they were a loving and inseparable couple, where you saw one you saw the other. Rayford Byers gave his life to God at an early age, and he was raised in church. As an adult Rayford was a hearer and doer of the word. He and his family united with Union Baptist Church and he was a faithful member and worker. Rayford held the offices of Treasurer, Trustee, and he was a member of Laymen, Parish Fellowship and Vacation Bible school popcorn maker. He would help with whatever was needed. Rayford was a kind and generous man of God with a happy disposition and would help anyone in any way he could.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Rayford attended Texas Tech but left to pursue a career in the US Army. Rayford entered active military duty on July 6, 1964, and retired after 20 years of service. During his career, he served in Alaska, Korea, Germany and 2 combat tours in Vietnam. Rayford received numerous awards including Purple Heart, The Meritorious Service medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Army Achievement Metal. Rayford was seriously injured and a survivor of the terrorist bombing of the American Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon on April 18, 1983, for which he received the Purple Heart award. Rayford's life was forever changed, and he had to medically retire from the US Army at the age of thirty-eight. CW3 Rayford Byers was an American Hero injured in service to his country. He was an automotive repair technician and maintenance supervisor assigned to Headquarters Company, 502nd Supply and Transportation Battalion, 2nd AD, Byers was on special duty in Beirut with an armored personnel carrier mobile training team. The team's purpose was to train Lebanese Army soldiers on the M-113 American vehicle. Fort Hood soldiers had been in Beirut for about seven weeks due to return home in 15 days. The team habitually ate lunch in the American Embassy cafeteria. It was customary for Byers to check the team's mail on the sixth floor prior to lunch. On this Monday in April, a terrorist bomb destroyed the seven-story building. The death toll was 17 Americans and 44 Lebanese. Byers was on the 6th floor checking the mail and headed back down and the blast threw Byers out of the building, trapping him in rubble for about 28 minutes before he was rescued. Two soldiers on his team were in the cafeteria downstairs, were killed that day. Rayford Byers was a true soldier, just doing his job. He was a true patriot and said he would go back to Beirut if his country sent him. Rayford worked at Defense Finance Accounting Services - Military Pay Office for several years. He also completed his college education at Cameron University, achieving a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Rayford was a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He was a member of NAACP Lawton Branch.Rayford leaves to cherish his memory, his wife Arnesia, children: Terry Byers and Angela (Mitchell) Pierce. Grandchildren: Brittney Johnson, Jaden Pierce, and Mitchell Pierce III. Great grandchildren: Amiyah Lewis, Kyrie, Kylan, Ky'Eric Kendrick. His sisters Betty Jones of Lorenzo, Texas and Francis Eddins of Lubbock, Texas. Great nieces Shondra Turner, Brianna Turner, great nephew Lawerance Gonzales whom he helped raise. A special niece Mary Mitchell of Lorenzo, Texas. Sisters -in-laws and a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces, and nephews. And great great nieces and nephews.He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Bessie Mae Byers and Joe Willie Byers, sisters: Charlene Watson, Dorothy Gonzales and Joann Hearn, brothers: Emerson Eugene Byers, Willie Joe Byers, Gene Edward Byers, Robert Lee Byers, and James Richard Byers.
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