Hale H. Byrd, 78, of Ford City passed away Saturday at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh.

He was born Nov. 14, 1933, the son of Duncan M. and Bessie V. Jarrett Byrd of Warm Springs, Va., who are deceased.

Hale was the husband of Patricia Valasek Byrd, who he married on Sept. 6, 1958.

He worked at and retired from PPG Ford City, where he was a quality control supervisor.

He had been a U.S. Army captain, field artillery, and was a 1956 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va.

Hale was a member of the Parks Township Sportsmans Club and enjoyed hunting and gardening. He loved his camp, his grand-dogs, Toby, Willie and Lucy, and most of all spending time with his family and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife and four chidren, James Byrd and Chris Byrd, both of Butler; Daniel Byrd of Gibsonia; and Debora Krochta of Ford City.

He also is survived by five grandchildren, Richelle and Greg Horn, and Adam, Michael, Andrea and Patrick.

Three sisters and their husbands survive him, Polly and Charles Jackson of Richmond, Va., Nancy and Wayner Hiner of Warm Springs, Va., and Diana and Jerry Brinkley, of Roanoke, Va.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Duncan Byrd, and a son-in-law, Steve Krochta.

BYRD— Friends of Hale H. Byrd, who died Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the MANTINI FUNERAL HOME, 701 Sixth Ave., Ford City.A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with lay pastor Lloyd Riggle presiding.Interment will be at St. Francis Cemetery.