Rev. Byron Epps

Funeral services for Rev. Byron Rayford Epps, 88 of Cookeville, will be held Sunday September 9 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of Dyer Funeral Home with Rev. Scott McKinney officiating, Graveside services and interment will follow at 5:30 p.m. (C.S.T.) at Foster Cemetery in Sweetwater, Tn. His family will receive friends Sunday from 1 p.m. until service time at Dyer Funeral Home Rev. Epps died Monday September 3, 2018 in Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was born May 9, 1930 in Panola County, Mississippi and was the eighth of nine children born to the late Samuel Edward Epps and Jennie Ruth Duke Epps. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by, his wife of more than 63 years, Albertine (Tine) Kyker Epps; five sisters, Ella Ruth Young, Evelyn Epps, Jewell Harwood, Mildred Baird Boston, and Maxine Bowd; and three brothers, Ed Epps, James David (JD) Epps and Clifford Epps. Byron was a minister of the gospel, having been ordained December 31, 1950 by the Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, Batesville, MS. After High School, he received his education at Union University, Jackson, TN and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX. He was the founding pastor of two churches – Valley Baptist Church, Appleton, WI in 1962 and West Des Moines Baptist Church, West Des Moines, IA in 1974. In addition, Byron served as pastor or Associate Pastor of nine churches. In 1988, he and Tine were commissioned as missionaries of the Metropolitan Missions Department of the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board and he became Director of Metropolitan Missions in the Milwaukee area until his retirement in 1996. After retirement, he did a transitional interim pastorate at Midvale Baptist Church, Madison, WI for two years before returning to TN, where he pastored University Heights Baptist Church in Cookeville for three years. Missions were Byron’s passion and he continued to be involved until his death, remaining active at First Baptist Church, Cookeville, where had previously served 10 years. Survivors include his children Emily Varela (David) of Gainesboro, TN, David Epps of Prescott, AZ, and Karen Miller (Bob) of Huntsville, TX; and grandchildren, Armando, Briana, Victor, Isabel, Rebeka, Moshe, Natanyah, and Giliyah Varela of Gainesboro, TN; Rochelle and Keaton Epps of Cortez, CO; Dima Miller and Desirae Miller of Huntsville, TX. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Dyer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements (931) 526-6111. You may share your thoughts and memories at www.dyerfh.com.