Jennings Anthony "Jay" Byrd, 85, of Indianapolis, passed away November 8, 2013. The son of Jennings Huston and Mary Elenora Long Byrd, Jennings was born May 31, 1928 in Herrin, Illinois.

Jennings graduated from Central High School of Evansville, Indiana. He served with the Army National Guard - 38 Division. He loved race cars and for seven years raced dirt tracks at Haubstadt, Indiana. He was a member of Nativity Catholic Church, Indianapolis. After 33 years, Jennings retired from Ford Motor Company in 1992 as a tool room machinist. Previous employment included Merz Engineering in Indianapolis and Twigg Industries in Brazil, Indiana.

Jay is survived by children, Bryan (Therese) Byrd of Fairland, Jayna A. (Larry) Gray of Indianapolis and Donetta F. (Bryan) Byrd Schafer of Noblesville; sister, Lois Thayer of Baltimore, Maryland; five grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Verna Lee Deer Byrd and sisters, Elizabeth Rollins and Mary A. Mollenkamp.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 noon November 11, 2013 in Nativity Catholic Church - 7225 Southeastern Avenue, Indianapolis. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Greenwood. Family and friends may call from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. November 10, 2013 at Forest Lawn Funeral Home - 1977 South State Road 135, Greenwood.