Howard Parnell Byrnes, Jr. of Dallas, Texas passed away on February 24, 2023, at the age of 90. He was born on October 15, 1932, to Howard Parnell Byrnes and Margaret Johanna (Kupfernagel) Byrnes in Houston, Texas. Howard grew up in Palestine, Texas where he graduated from Palestine High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1956.
Howard started his career with Alamo Refrigeration in San Antonio, Texas right out of college. In 1964, after obtaining a distributorship from York Borg-Warner, Byrnes Distributing was formed. It was at this time that he moved his family to Dallas, Texas. In 1976 he purchased Hoffman Controls Corporation, a manufacturer of energy efficient electronic controls in the HVAC industry. He was CEO and Chairman of the Board for both Byrnes Distributing Inc. and Hoffman Controls Corporation.
Howard grew up within a railroad family in Palestine. His grandfather was a locomotive engineer and his father, mother, and uncle also worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Because of this, he developed a quick love for trains. As an adult he shared his passion for trains with his son and grandsons by collecting HO scale model trains and attending the NMRA convention throughout the years. In his free time, Howard enjoyed spending time at his lake house on Cedar Creek Lake with family and flying his Cessna 172 Skyhawk.
Howard last attended Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas but served many years as elder of Northwest Bible Church in Dallas, Texas prior to that. He also served on the Board of Directors at EvanTell for 16 years and had a deep respect for his colleagues and friends at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Howard is survived by his children, David Russell Byrnes and wife, Tammy Haydon Byrnes of Winnsboro, Texas, Amy E. Byrnes of Dallas, Texas, and Julie Carol Byrnes of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren, David Russell Byrnes, Jr. and his wife, Samantha, Meredith Michelle Pfluger and her husband, Carson, Blake Austin Byrnes, and Preston Taylor Byrnes; great grandchildren, Luke Russell Byrnes and James Leo Byrnes; nephew, Robert and Debbie Baker and family; nephew, Steve Baker and wife, Robin and family; niece, Jacqueline Spika and husband, Danny and family; and a host of other loving family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, JoAnne Baker.
A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Palestine City Cemetery in Palestine, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Friday afternoon from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Howard’s honor to Evantell, the ministry he loved and on whose board he served. www.EvanTell.org/donate