Byron was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and was a gift born on his Daddy's birthday. Although not expected to be special, he was quite the unexpected. He was a great surprise for both Barbara & Byron Sr. Born an achondraplastic dwarf, what Byron lacked in stature and physical presence he made up for in sheer determination. Determination to make every day count for something and to impact the lives of those he met. He did both of those with gusto. During the time of his many surgeries & recoveries, he was asked to be the poster child for Easter Seals during their 1993 charity campaign. He also loved being involved with & was aided greatly by the caring people of the Scottish Rite Hospital & their staff, who were very intrigued by his many anomalies. His scholastic achievements included, but were not limited to, Lewisville High School recognition of excellence in Spanish 2007. Then at North Central he earned Associates degree 2010, the Presidents honor list in 2009 and 2010, Deans honor list in fall of 2009. Then went to UNT to pursue the undergraduate program, with a double major, both in English and learning dis-abled. He absolutely loved the people he got to know as friends and colleagues. To Byron, no one was a stranger. He had a wonderful gift for making friends. If you met him, you grew to know him and love him for his love of life, even in adversity. Byron's perseverance, courage, and sense of humor were inspirational to all who were lucky enough to know him. May we all learn from his example. He taught us all to love life, to appreciate friends & family, to dream big and to reach for those dreams with passion & excitement. He taught us that our lives are a blessing and to be grateful for what we have. He was a little man with the biggest heart a man could have. One only has to read the past few days on his Facebook wall to see how he impacted others. Did not matter who you were, doctor, patient, teacher, student, colleague, bus driver, church family, friends, or family, Byron made an impression on your heart. He showed every one of us that there is no obstacle in your life that cannot be overcome. He was a mighty, mighty man in personality, love and influence. It was his heart's desire that everyone know the love and saving grace of our Lord. Byron –You will always be in our hearts, and we will always love you….as he used to say, “Big like the sky!!”
In Memory of Mariyln Roberts (1953-2011)
Marilyn Roberts, 58, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, at her home. Marilyn was born to Conrad and Evelyn Roberts on Aug. 22, 1953, in Fort Worth. She was a woman of many interests, including traveling, reading and needlework. Marilyn was a life member of Little People of America. She retired after 30 years of service with the Federal Aviation Administration. Marilyn was loved by many, and will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her father, Conrad Roberts Jr. Survivors: Her mother, Evelyn Roberts; sisters, Connie Stone and husband, Larry, Jane Miller, Ruth Fleming and husband, Don Reese; niece, Lauren McAuley; and countless other relatives and friends. Her family has requested donations to the Alzheimer’s Association in lieu of flowers on her behalf. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dfw/obituary.aspx?n=marilyn-roberts&pid=155265426
Engagement of Alicia Templeton & Scott Lowry
Brian & Jerry Templeton are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter Alicia to Scott Lowry. A wedding is planned for May 12, 2012 in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, less than 2 months before the 2012 convention :)
In Memory of Roland Steele
James Roland Steele of Duncanville, beloved son, brother, uncle & friend, passed away June 30, 2011. He was born October 30, 1952 in Dallas, Texas to Walter Steele and Jean Carey Steele. A musician, Roland grew up playing music and performing with his family. He went on to perform with many different bands throughout his lifetime. A singer and songwriter, he was accomplished at piano, guitar & drums. A member of LPA (Little People of America), Roland made many dear & lifelong friends through his involvement there. A scholarship is being established to aid short stature members with renting a scooter at convention, and possibly assisting with paying for a care giver during convention. This scholarship is for short statured individuals of very limited physical means. Donations can be made to the "Roland Steele Special Needs Fund" c/o LPA, Inc.
Class of 2011
The big news from the King household is that Isaac David graduated from Allen High this past spring 2011 and will be heading north to Oklahoma State University in August to begin his freshman year of college. We are very proud of him!