Our Valued Staff
W. Andrew Byrd
SC FD License # 4081
Andy Byrd is a graduate of Erskine College and the Executive MBA Program from the Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. He left the Cone Mills Corporation as a Division Manager after 11 years. Andy spent 13 years thereafter in the Financial Services industry, holding Series 7, 63 & 65 licenses, while a VP at Smith Barney and Managing Director & Partner of a Private Wealth Management Firm in Greenville. After years of consideration and planning as business partners with Al Cannon, the Cannon and Byrd families opened what was originally Heritage Funeral Home on N. Main Street in Simpsonville. We later reacquired the funeral home and memorial park on N. Main Street in Fountain Inn, and today operate those respective locations in Fountain Inn and Simpsonville as Cannon-Byrd Funeral Homes and Cannon-Byrd Memorial Park.
Andy and Tyree have been married for 32 years and have three grown children; Merritt, Parker and Anna Clair. We gained a second son in 2018 when Merritt and Cameron Bell married and God has continued to bless our family with a Grandson, Hayden “Hayes” Cameron Bell and a granddaughter, Pruitt Collins Bell. The Byrds are active members of Fountain Inn First Baptist Church. Andy is a 2011 Fellow of the Bon Secours St. Francis Foundation Leadership Forum, served on the Advisory Committee to the Museum & Art Gallery of Bob Jones University, was Vice President of the E.C. Foundation, President of the Erskine College Alumni Association twice and served as program coordinator for the Simpsonville Rotary Club. He served as a member of The Family Effect Board of Directors, the Erskine Board of Counselors, the United Way Board of Union County, and as Director of “Homeward Bound”, a Christian based family retreat.
Andy, is a licensed Funeral Director, the Owner & President.
Click this link to send Andy an email.
Cameron Philip Bell
Funeral Director Apprentice # 4344
Cameron Philip Bell graduated from North Mecklenburg High School and then from Winthrop University with a B.S. in Sports Marketing. He was a member of the Winthrop Men’s Golf team and went on to coach, following graduation. Prior to joining our organization, Cameron was in the waste management industry for seven years. Cameron and his wife, Merritt, became the proud parents of Hayden “Hayes” Cameron Bell in 2020 and Pruitt Collins Bell in 2023. They are members of Fountain Inn First Baptist Church and reside in Simpsonville.
Andrew Parker Byrd
Unlicensed
Parker Byrd graduated from Christ Church Episcopal School, attended Anderson University, worked with Wilbert Vault Company, Sullivan King Mortuary, within the Cannon Byrd organization, and is the Co-Owner of Byrd Carr Landworks and Landscaping Company.
Parker enjoys everything about the outdoors including hunting, fishing, golf, tennis, and spending time on the water at both the lake and the coast.
Merritt Byrd Bell
Cemetery Manager, Funeral Director Apprentice # 4273
Merritt Byrd Bell graduated from Southside Christian School and from Presbyterian College with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi organization. Prior to joining our organization, Merritt worked at OOBE Brand and EP+Co.
Merritt and her husband, Cameron Bell, became the proud parents of Hayden “Hayes” Cameron Bell in 2020 and Pruitt Collins Bell in 2023. They are members of Fountain Inn First Baptist Church and reside in Simpsonville.
Merritt serves as a Manager of Cannon-Byrd Memorial Park and as an Administrative Manager for the Funeral Homes.
Madalyn Guenther
SC FD License # 4661
Madalyn grew up in Greenville, SC and attended Greenville Senior High School. She graduated from Newberry College in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences, where she made Deans list and was a member of the Health Science Honor Society. She was vice president of her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, and volunteered for Autism Speaks. She is a proud aunt as of June 2022 and enjoys spending time with her family.
Carol Armstrong
Unlicensed
Carol is a familiar face to those from the area since she has lived in Fountain Inn since 1972. She has been serving families at Cannon-Byrd Memorial Park for many years. Carol’s previous career was in textiles at the Furman Plant for 28 years.
Carol serves as the Manager of Cannon-Byrd Memorial Park and Administrative Manager for Cannon-Byrd Funeral Homes.
James McCann
Unlicensed
James graduated “Summa Cum Laude” with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Anderson University. He later earned his Master of Arts degree in Business with a concentration in Management and Leadership from Webster University, Greenville Campus. James began his career as a Deputy Sheriff with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. He worked his way up through the ranks holding numerous supervisory positions in Uniform Patrol and Juvenile Investigations. He was ultimately chosen as the Public Information Officer. In this role he was responsible for all media relations, conducting both live and pre-recorded interviews, coordinating news conferences, writing press releases and speeches, while simultaneously serving as the Risk Management Officer and Special Events Coordinator.
After completing a successful career in Law Enforcement, where he served under three Sheriff’s, in 2016, James began helping families at Graceland East Memorial Park. He has earned the respect of Funeral Directors and the community, which is evident by the countless five-star reviews he has received over the years. James joined Cannon-Byrd Funeral Home and Cannon-Bryd Memorial Park, June 2024, where he continues to help families, manage public relations and community outreach.
James and his wife Ellie have one son, Elijah. James enjoys traveling, reading, exercising and spending time with family and friends
Brian Gargis
SC FDE Preplanning License # 3732
Brian, a native of Florida, graduated from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Georgia in 1990 with a degree in Mortuary Science. He began his journey in funeral service with an independent firm in Orlando, then transitioned to another independent on the West Coast of Florida, before moving to South Florida where he owned and operated his own funeral home for about 8 years.
Brian and his wife Laurie are parents of two sons. They moved to South Carolina 2012.
Brian has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of funeral home operations, from owning to managing independent funeral homes, to heading the leadership of a large funeral home market consisting of five funeral homes and two cemeteries. He is a licensed funeral director, embalmer, cremation specialist and Pre Need sales expert.
He has been blessed over the years to service thousands of families in their greatest time of need.
William Ray Brown
Unlicensed
Ray Brown is a native of Fountain Inn and attended Hillcrest High School. Married to the former Barbara Shipman in 1959, Ray and Barbara have two children, a late son, Dwayne, and a daughter, Lorraine B. Greene. Ray was a life-long member of Fairview Street Baptist Church in Fountain Inn and he and Barbara are active members today at Holly Ridge Baptist Church in Simpsonville.
Ray entered law enforcement in 1963 and served the surrounding communities until retiring “the first time” in 1992. His career began as a Police Officer in Fountain Inn and continued in the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department. Ray studied criminal justice at Greenville Technical College and transferred to the 13th Circuit Solicitors Office as the Chief Investigator for the now Federal Judges William W. Wilkins and William B. Traxler. Ray retired from active duty law enforcement in 1992 after 30+ years and having served our communities as the Chief of Police in both Simpsonville and Fountain Inn. He later re-entered the workforce as a District Manager with American Security and as a Trainer for SLED, a position he filled until 2005.
Ray serves as a Funeral Assistant.
Wilton Fowler
Unlicensed
Wilton L. Fowler was born and grew up in Conestee, SC and now resides in Mauldin, SC with his wife, Joan Durham Fowler.
Mr. Fowler surrendered to the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ in 1971 and considers it a privilege to help families with funeral services. He attends Victory Chapel Baptist Church in Conestee. Mr. Fowler served our country in the United States Army in Germany during the Berlin Crisis. He graduated from Hillcrest High School and continued his education at Greenville Technical College majoring in Transportation Management. He retired in 2012 From Am-Can / Great Wide Logistic. Mr. Fowler has held many positions with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and currently serves as District Commander. His love and passion has been to help Veterans. He has presided over many such funerals and feels his calling is to minister to the bereaved and to those who have spiritual need. Wilton has two children, a daughter, Stephanie Dawn Fowler, and a son, Ronald Lee Fowler; two grandchildren, Ryan and Leigh Fowler; and three great- grandchildren, Ashland, Elijah and Savannah Fowler.
Wilton serves as a Funeral Assistant.
Phil Clemmer
Unlicensed
Phil is a graduate of Wingate College where he earned an AA in Business Administration and is a graduate of Pfeiffer University with a BA in Criminal Justice. Phil attended the NC and SC Criminal Justice Academies to become a certified Police Officer and certified Police Chief. He was the class Valedictorian for the basic training class 007 at the NC Justice Academy in 1979.
Phil started his law enforcement career in Salisbury, NC and was quickly promoted to Detective. He was then promoted to Detective Seargeant supervising the Detective Division. He completed a number of specialized trainings as well as was awarded Rookie of the Year, and then Veteran of the Year. He graduated from the University of Delaware Advanced Homicide Investigation school. Phil and his family moved to Fountain Inn, SC in 1985 where he served as Chief of Police. He entered the private sector in 1988 joining the Corporate Security staff at W.W. Grainger. He was one of the first senior Managers hired at the Fountain Inn Distribution Center and was instrumental in the planning and start-up of the location. In 2000, he was promoted to Regional Safety and Security Manager and was responsible for nearly half of the Grainger domestic locations and the safety of about 8000 employees. He traveled extensively opening new locations and responding to emergencies such as 911 in New York, and multiple hurricanes in the Southeast. He retired from Grainger in 2016 and continues to work as an Independent Loss Control Consultant for Gallagher Bassett, Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Phil is a certified OSHA instructor.
He has volunteered many hours in the Fountain Inn community for 40 years. He was President of Golden Strip Emergency Relief for 10 years, was recognized by the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce for Volunteer of the Year and is currently in his third term on Fountain Inn City Council. He served as Mayor Pro-Tempore for one term, and also served on the Greenville Technical College Criminal Justice Advisory Board. He and his family attend Fountain Inn Presbyterian Church where he, his wife Cindy, and daughter Ashely have served as Ruling Elders.
Phil and Cindy have two grown daughters and four grandchildren and reside in Fountain Inn. Phil joined the Cannon-Byrd Funeral Homes in 2022 and serves as a Funeral Assistant.
Jay Thomason
Photo and Bio to follow…
Ensley Colvin
Unlicensed
Ensley is a Fountain Inn native that has lived there his whole life. He attended Hillcrest High school. He is currently enrolled in getting his bachelors degree in Disaster and Emergency management from Columbia College.
Ensley is a member of Upstate Church First Baptist Simpsonville. He is a volunteer with Make-A-Wish SC and South Carolina Burn Children’s fund. He is a full-time firefighter/EMT for South Greenville Fire Department. In his time off he enjoys playing golf, spending time with friends and family, and anything that involves a body of water.
Claude Kirby Ballew
Unlicensed
Kirby Ballew is a native of Simpsonville. He is married to Thelma Jones Ballew and is the father of three sons, Kee, Jeff and Scott. He is a grandfather to 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
Kirby retired as the Director of the Recreation Department for the City of Simpsonville after 26 years of service, served as Traffic Manager for Her Majesty Manufacturing Company and is the Vice President of Guarantee Carpet Cleaning and Dye Systems.
He is an active member of First Baptist Church of Simpsonville and The Challengers Connect 4 Group which supports missions both locally and worldwide.
Kirby retired as a Funeral Assistant.
Thelma A. Ballew
Unlicensed
A native of Greenville, Thelma moved to Simpsonville in 1954. She is married to Kirby Ballew and has 3 daughters, Reba, Kim and Yolanda, and 3 stepsons Kee, Jeff and Scott. She is a proud grandmother of six grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Thelma enjoys Golf and supporting her grandchildren in their sports, music and other activities.
Thelma is a member of First Baptist Church Simpsonville and the Challengers Connect 4 Group, focusing on local and foreign missions. She was a Licensed Cosmetologist and former owner of several Salons of Hair Design. She retired from Century 21 as a Licensed Realtor having served the Golden Strip for 15 years.
Thelma retired as a Funeral Assistant and Receptionist.
Larry Henry Couch
Unlicensed
Larry Couch and his wife, Linda, have lived in Simpsonville since 1971. They have two daughters; Tamara has been in Heaven since 1996 and Lisa and her family live in Greenville. They have three beautiful grandchildren.
Larry was originally from Bristol, Tennessee. He moved to Greenville to attend Bob Jones University in 1962 from which he received his BA and the Bachelor of Divinity. He is a retired LT. Col., from the Army Reserves where he spent 28 years as Chaplain. He still holds monthly services for an Army Reserve Unit. His civilian work for 41 years was Operations Manager for Factory Furniture, in Mauldin, where he retired in 2012.
Larry and Linda have been active members of Calvary Baptist Church, Simpsonville, since 1991 where he serves on the Missions Committee, is a care group leader in Sunday school, leads the prayer chain for the Golden Gems, and Zone Offense for each Church service.
Larry retired as a Funeral Assistant.
