Wayne Woodruff Pyeatt

Wayne Woodruff Pyeatt, age 93, died peacefully January 8, 2018. He was born September 22, 1924, in Prairie Grove, Ark. He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1941 and attended Hendrix College for two years before joining the US Navy where he served as a gunnery instructor. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1948, and joined Searcy Bank where he worked until 1960 accepting a position with First National Bank in Little Rock, he served as President for the Searcy Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Pyeatt joined National Bank of Commerce, Memphis as President in 1966 and he became Chairman 1973. He later served as Chairman of Home Federal Savings and Loan and Memphis Fire Insurance Company. He was an instructor with the Stonier School of Banking (Rutgers University), the Fogelman School of Business (University of Memphis) and Rhodes College, and he served on numerous boards including the Memphis Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Mr. Pyeatt was actively involved with community organizations, serving as President of Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce, Memphis Rotary Club, Memphis Plough Community Foundation, Family Service and William R. Moore School, Health Resources Development Corporation and Financial Executive Institute. He was a recipient of the Francis Coe award for outstanding achievement in Memphis public education and the Horace Mann Award from the Memphis Board of Education. He was an avid fisherman, tennis player, reader and traveller. Mr. Pyeatt is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, the former Betty Gean Hunt, and by a daughter, Lynn Elizabeth Pyeatt. He is survived by a brother Phillip Pyeatt of Searcy, Ark., daughter Sarah Pyeatt Black (Bobby) of Memphis, a son Robert Ewing Pyeatt, (Libba) of Asheville, N.C., five grandchildren: Jason Pyeatt Black of Memphis, Michael Harrison Black (Laura) of Memphis; Elizabeth Bouchelle Pyeatt of Arlington, Va., Robert Ewing Pyeatt, III of New York, NY and John McKee Pyeatt of Asheville, NC, and a great granddaughter (Natalie Grace Black). The family wishes to thank Katherine Morris, of Attendant Care Services, and the entire staff of Allen Morgan Health Center at Trezevant Manor, especially LaDonna Pugh, Donna McGee, Aston Williams and Carol Simmons for the care given to Mr. Pyeatt. There will be a visitation from 1 p.m. until the time of the Memorial Service at 2 p.m. on January 11th at Memorial Park Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to The Church Health Center, the Lynn Elizabeth Pyeatt Scholarship at Rhodes College, or to the organization of the donor's choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, Tenn. 38119 (901) 767-8930. "Celebrating Life… Behind the Stone Wall".