Question
Hi Jim,
We live in Birmingham, AL. We had a very large Bartlett pear tree in our front yard which was obstructing the sun and visibility in our yard.  Yesterday, we had someone out who cut down the tree limbs to about 6 feet from the trunk.
Will our tree survive?  The low last night was 40 degrees.

Answer
Yes it will survive. The fruit production may be greatly reduce for a few years with this drastic type pruning. The tree will put out new growth this spring and make the tree bushier then before. Next time you may want to call the local office of the Agriculture  Extension service and ask one of their specialist to come take a look and advise you on how to prune this tree. Their number should be in your local phone book.