Byron L. Holton

Byron L Holton, of Decatur, Ga. passed away at the age of 87 on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at home from complications of Parkinson's Disease. He was born Sept. 5, 1924, the only child of Maggie Belle Thaxton Holton and "Cap" Holton of Camilla, Ga. He attended North Georgia College and University before transferring and graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1949 with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University in 1957. During WW II, Byron served in the United States Army Air Corps as a B-17 pilot with the 483rd Bombardment Group, which earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for combat in the European theater of operations. Byron's military decorations include the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with 3 Bronze Service Stars, the American Theatre Ribbon and the World War II Victory Medal. During the Korean War, Byron served as an instructor pilot at Ramey Air Base, Puerto Rico with the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. His civilian career was spent at Georgia Power Company and Southern Company where he rose to Assistant to the Vice President of Bulk Power Markets. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mickie Holton, his daughters and their husbands: Debbie and Bill Paules, Nancy and Phil Skinner and Pattie and David Jones, his grandchildren Jamie Boeshore, Margaret Skinner, Valerie Skinner, Will Jones and Chris Jones, and great-grandchildren Jack O'Brien and Sienna Mackay. Byron's great loves were his family, serving as Deacon, Elder and Elder Emeritus with North Avenue Presbyterian Church, and flying. His family and friends will miss him greatly. There will be a graveside service Tuesday, May 1st at 11:00 am at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs and a memorial service at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, May 1st at North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Both services are open to friends of the family. Instead of flowers the family requests donations to a favored charity or Smile Train. A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.

Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033