Max Hyatt

Max Leon Hyatt, 89, of Arab died Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Mr. Hyatt was born March 21, 1934, in Arab to Moses Greenberry Hyatt and Laura Hunt Hyatt.

He grew up in Arab, and attended Arab High School. Following his marriage to the love of his life, Barbara Joe Pearson, on November 26, 1954, he departed two days later to serve in the United States Army where he was deployed to Germany in support of the Allied Occupational Forces of World War II.

Following his honorable discharge from the army, he began working at Arab Electric Cooperative as a lineman and retired 42 years later as general superintendent. After that he was elected unopposed to six consecutive terms to the board of directors for the Arab Electric Cooperative for an additional 18 years of service.

Also following his retirement, he continued serving the community as a licensed electrician with the establishment of Hyatt Emergency Standby Power LLC which he lead for more than 15 years.

He never met a stranger and greeted everyone with a handshake, a smile and a kind word. He lived his life in service to others through such activities as holding a number of offices with the Arab Lions Club, including president; over 35 years of service to the Boy Scouts of America, serving much of that time as Cub Scout Master for Cub Scout Pack 60 and in various capacities on the Choccolocco Council, earning a number of Scouting awards such as the Wood Badge and Silver Beaver, the highest leadership award in Scouting; over 25 years of service to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Arab Post 6226 serving in numerous leadership assignments at the local, county, district and state levels.

He was recognized by the Arab Chamber of Commerce as the1997 recipient of the Outstanding Citizen Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions in community service. He was a dedicated member of Arab First United Methodist Church in Arab, where he served in numerous capacities including as a member of the board of trustees during the time of the construction of the new church building at its current location on Main Street in Arab,.

He is survived by his wife: Barbara Hyatt; four sons: Ronald Barry Hyatt (Tess) of Holly Pond, Timothy Lynn Hyatt of Arab, Rodney Neil Hyatt (Suzanne) of Huntsville, and Jonathan Lee Hyatt of Arab; sister and brother-in-law: Judy and Jim Reid of Arab; grandchildren: Chelsea Hyatt Young (Kyle) and Jon Ross Hyatt (Alicya); and step-grandchildren: Michael Bell, Brian Isom (Amber), and Holli Kenney (Nick); and 10 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by sisters: Evelyn Faye Hyatt Smith and Christine Hyatt Farmer Bagwell.

The funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at Arab First United Methodist Church with graveside service with military honors at Arab Memorial Cemetery with Arab Heritage Memorial Chapel directing

Pallbearers were employees of the Arab Electric Cooperative and honorary pallbearers are the members of Arab VFW Post 6226.

Memorials can be made to Shepherd’s Cove of Marshall County or Arab VFW Post 6226.