Floyd Tyes

Floyd Tyes was born July 26, 1944, in Blytheville to the union of the late Frank and the late Lottie Tyes-Henry. He departed this earth at 8:45 p.m. Sunday, May 5, 2024, at Beacon Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind. He was 79.

Floyd was raised in Blytheville and attended Richard Harrison High School and graduated in 1962. He was an outstanding football player and was awarded an athletic scholarship to attend Florida A&M University. He later relocated to South Bend where his work history began. Floyd was employed at the former National Standards in Buchanan, Mich. When the company shut down, he went on to work at Buchanan Metal Forming, Inc., where he worked for over 40 years and retired in late 2015.

Floyd enjoyed spending time with his family. He and his lifetime companion, Ruth Jennings, and his son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Classie, enjoyed going to the casino for a little bit of fun and dining. He and Ruth also used 4-Winds Casino as a place to exercise by walking several times around the inside of the casino. He and his daughter Yolanda enjoyed doing woodworking projects together and he also helped her with her lawn care. Floyd found pleasure in occasionally keeping two furry friends, Coco and an American Bully who Ruth affectionately called Punkin. Together they walked the pups throughout the neighborhood whenever they came to visit. Floyd was a member of the former Phoenix Group. The guys would come together monthly on special events and some holidays to have cookouts and other small gatherings. The group eventually dismantled due to illnesses and the passing away of many members.

Floyd loved shopping for clothes, hats and shoes. He was a sharp dresser who looked dressed up even in a pair of jeans. He wouldn’t wear jeans that weren’t starched and creased. A special pastime of his was watching sports - especially football. His favorite teams were the Chicago Bears and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. He loved to travel by car to visit loved ones near and far. While at home, Floyd consistently spent time working on his man cave.

He is survived by Ruth Jennings of South Bend; one daughter, Yolanda Tyes of Atlanta, Ga.; two sons, Richard (Classie) Tyes, also of South Bend, and Trayton Tyes of Boston, Mass.; his bonus children, Darryl Jennings, Zack (Michelle) Jennings, Brian (Shannon) Jennings, Toi Williams, Jimmy Harris and Rona Harris; a goddaughter, Fionna Comer, all of South Bend; his siblings, Sherry Tyes, Eddie (Marjorie) Tyes, William Tyes, all of South Bend; John Wilkerson and James (Debra) Wilkerson all of Malden, Mo; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Polly Tyes of Chicago and Early Tyson of Blytheville, along with a host of other relatives and friends. Along with his parents, Floyd was also preceded in death by a daughter, Tanya Thersea Tyes; four brothers, Frank Tyes Jr.; Freddie Lee Tyes; F.W. Tyson and Dennis Washington; two sisters, Florence Shaw and Mary Washington; a brother-in-law, John Shaw; and a bonus son, Ric Maddox. Floyd was soft spoken and kind. He would do anything for others. His memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved and knew him. Sleep on dear Floyd and take your rest; although we all love you, God loves you best.