Charles Kent Byars

Charles Kent Byars passed away on April 22, 2024 at Baptist Health in Paducah after a short illness, he was 67. He will be missed by his family, friends and neighbors.

Kent was born on October 12, 1956, at Riverside Hospital in Paducah, to Bobby and Lanie Byars of Paducah. Kent was a lifelong resident of Paducah and was a proud member of the 1973 Paducah Tilghman Football team that won the State Championship as a team manager and was made an honorary Kentucky Colonel.

Shortly after graduating from high school he started working for Henry A Petter Supply Co. in Paducah and enjoyed that for 40+ years. After his retirement he enjoyed taking care of all his 4 legged friends (inside and out), watching sports, and being with his family and friends.

Kent’s sports were a very large part of his life. He was a season ticket holder for many years of Paducah Tilghman Football and traveled extensively following his Blue Tornado. A love of football was instilled at an early age by his Papaw, Charles Fox, who was a friend of Clint Murcheson, owner of the Dallas Cowboys. This passion took him not only to Texas Stadium, but also Atlanta, GA and Phoenix AZ for 2 Super Bowls. His other sports loves were horse racing (summers at Ellis Park), the Kentucky Wildcats and St. Louis Cardinals. He and his wife were able to be at 3 Final Four Championships with the Wildcats and at some of the World Series games with the Cardinals. He also was a fan of both Earnhardt's (Dale and Dale Jr.) In NASCAR and mentally raced around the tracks with both.

Kent is survived by his wife of 47 years, Debra; his daughter, Kenda (Kent) Hancock; two grandchildren, Kendon Hancock and Kloi Hancock; and his uncle, Charles Dale Fox.

He was preceded in death by his mother Earline (Lanie) Byars; his father Bobby Byars; and his grandparents, Charles and Margaret Fox and Hural and Oma Byars.

Graveside services will be held Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 12:30 PM at Maplelawn Park Cemetery in Paducah, with Jonathan Goodman officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 11:00 AM till 12:00 PM at Keeling and Goodman Funeral Home. 

Although his circle of family and friends has become small over the years, Kent enjoyed being with them immensely and cherished all their friendships.

Special thanks to his very special friends, Wayne Ramey his barber for over 30 years who he saw every 2 weeks religiously, and Alonzo and Sylvia who kept eyes on him and helped while Debra was at work.

Keeling & Goodman Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Byars family