Changes

| birth_place=Minden, Louisiana

| birth_place=Minden, Louisiana

| occupation=[[Educator]]

| occupation=[[Educator]]

| spouse= Cecilia O'Rear Byars  

| spouse=Cecilia Marie O'Rear Byars  

| children=Noel E. Byars, Jr.<br>

| children=Noel E. Byars, Jr.<br>

Timothy Byars<br>

Timothy Byars<br>

Jo Anna Byars Marks<br>

Jo Anna Byars Marks<br>

Randy Byars<br>

Randy Byars<br>

Richard Byars

Richard Byars<br>

Noel Randolph and Thelma Rowland Byars

| religion=[[Baptist]]

| religion=[[Baptist]]

| residence=[[Beaumont]], [[Texas]]

| residence=[[Beaumont]], [[Texas]]

}}

}}

'''Noel Eugene Byars, Sr.,''' known as '''Gene Byars''' (July 4, 1939 &ndash; March 28, 2024) was an [[educator]] from Beaumont, [[Texas]],<ref>Yahoo People Search.</ref> who served from 1982 to 1989 as the [[mayor]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the seat of government for Webster Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]]. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Byars was recalled  on January 21, 1989, at the midway point of his second term through a citizens' initiative after it was revealed that he had charged the city for personal expenses on his municipal credit card.

'''Noel Eugene Byars, Sr.,''' known as '''Gene Byars''' (July 4, 1939 &ndash; March 28, 2024)<ref name=obit/> was an [[educator]] from Beaumont, [[Texas]],<ref>Yahoo People Search.</ref> who served from 1982 to 1989 as the [[mayor]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the seat of government for Webster Parish in northwestern [[Louisiana]]. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Byars was recalled  on January 21, 1989, at the midway point of his second term through a citizens' initiative after it was revealed that he had charged the city for personal expenses on his municipal credit card.

==Background==

==Background==

Byars' parents were Noel Randolph Byars (1908–2003), a Minden [[banker]] and a native of Bearden, [[Arkansas]], and the former Thelma Rowland (1909–2002). His paternal grandparents were Benjamin Joab Byars and the former Lucy Jane Chambliss. Byars, who is [[Baptist]], graduated in 1957 from Minden High School.<ref>Minden High School ''Grig'' yearbook, 1957.</ref> He married a Minden High School classmate, the former Cecilia O'Rear (born March 8, 1940), who predeceased him. The couple has three sons and a daughter, Jo Anna, who was a Miss Minden contestant a few months prior to her father's election as mayor.<ref>''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' March 27, 1982, p. 1.</ref>

Byars' parents were Noel Randolph Byars (1908–2003), a Minden [[banker]] and a native of Bearden, [[Arkansas]], and the former Thelma Rowland (1909–2002). His paternal grandparents were Benjamin Joab Byars and the former Lucy Jane Chambliss. Byars, who is [[Baptist]], graduated in 1957 from Minden High School.<ref>Minden High School ''Grig'' yearbook, 1957.</ref> He married a Minden High School classmate, the former Cecilia Marie O'Rear (1940-2021). The couple had three sons and a daughter, Jo Anna, who was a Miss Minden contestant a few months prior to her father's election as mayor.<ref>''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' March 27, 1982, p. 1.</ref>

Byars received his bachelor's degree in education and his master's in school administration from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. There he was a national and [[Arkansas]] state champion in archery.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' June 6, 1962.</ref> In 1970, he left a position in [[Bossier City]] as coordinator and regional consultant for the Northwest Louisiana Supplementary Education Center to become the director of data processing in education Region 18 in [[Lubbock]], [[Texas]].<ref>"People's Bank Names [Noel Randolph] Byars Vice-President", ''Minden Press-Herald'', June 13, 1973, p. 1.</ref> Byars indicated that he would work on a doctorate in education through [[Texas Tech University]] while he was living in Lubbock.<ref>"Noel Byars", ''Minden Press-Herald'', September 25, 1970, p. 1.</ref>

Byars received his bachelor's degree in education and his master's in school administration from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. There he was a national and [[Arkansas]] state champion in archery.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' June 6, 1962.</ref> In 1970, he left a position in [[Bossier City]] as coordinator and regional consultant for the Northwest Louisiana Supplementary Education Center to become the director of data processing in education Region 18 in [[Lubbock]], [[Texas]].<ref>"People's Bank Names [Noel Randolph] Byars Vice-President", ''Minden Press-Herald'', June 13, 1973, p. 1.</ref> Byars indicated that he would work on a doctorate in education through [[Texas Tech University]] while he was living in Lubbock.<ref>"Noel Byars," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' September 25, 1970, p. 1.</ref>

==Election as mayor==

==Election as mayor==