BRYANT, Russell Willis

BRYANT, CARVER, ANDERSON, KENNEDY, JENSEN, HEIN, HACKETT, CHAVEZ

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 10/15/2008 at 11:52:20

Russell Willis Bryant, 76, of Washta, Iowa, died Sunday October 12, 2008 at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa, after a hard fought battle with melanoma cancer.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday October 16, 2008 at the Meadow Star United Methodist Church, Washta, Iowa. Pastor Bill Cotten and Pastor Dick Krambeck will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Meadow Cemetery, Washta, Iowa. Military graveside honors will be provided by V.F.W. L.A. Wescott Post #2253. Visitation will be Wednesday from 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. with the family present from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Greenwood Funeral Home, Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences may be left at www.greenwoodfuneral.com.

Russell was born on February 13, 1932 to Frank and Dorothy (Carver) Bryant. He graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1949. Russell then attended Iowa State College, where he earned a bachelors degree in Agriculture Education and later a Master of Science in Agriculture Economics. While at Iowa State he met the love of his life, Beulah Anderson, and they married on June 19, 1954 in Pomeroy, Iowa. Russell served in the United States Air Force as an Intelligence Officer for two years and was stationed in Rapid City, South Dakota and Denver, Colorado. He and Bea returned to Iowa where he served as Assistant County Extension Director in Vinton and Council Bluffs for five years. Russ and Bea resided in St. Louis, Missouri for the next seven years where Russ was employed by Doane Agriculture Service as Marketing Analyst and Consultant and then by Ralston Purina Corporation as Market Research Director.

Russ and Bea then made the decision to return to Washta, Iowa, to raise their growing family on the farm, where they made their home and raised their children for the next 42 years. Russ owned and managed a large cattle-feeding operation, as well as a cow-calf operation and grain crop production. While running his farming operation, Russ also worked for the Farmer’s Home Administration as a consultant and for the State of Iowa as State Farm Administrator for several years.

Russ was involved in many community and leadership activities including County Beef Producers Board of Directors, County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Supreme Beef Producers Board of Directors, Grand Meadow Heritage Center Board of Directors, Marcus Community School Superintendent’s Advisory Council, United Methodist Church Lay Leader, Sunday School Teacher, and 4-H Club Leader. Russ was an avid fisherman and hunter and loved the great outdoors. He was a conservationist and realized the importance of being a steward of his land. Russ’s greatest source of joy in his life was his children and grandchildren. He was very proud of each of them and all of their accomplishments.

He is survived by and will be greatly missed by his wife, Bea; his son, Steve Bryant and his wife, Penni, of Ames, Iowa; his daughters, Joan Bryant-Kennedy and her husband, John of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jill Jensen, of Ames, Iowa; his son John Bryant and his wife, Tina, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Carol Hein, and her husband, Jason, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Julie Bryant of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a brother Robert Bryant and his wife, Becky, of Aurelia, Iowa; a brother, Roger Bryant of Washta, Iowa; grandchildren Josh Bryant, Erin Hackett and her husband, Tom, Emma Bryant, Zack and Kaitlyn Kennedy, Dane and Claire Jensen, Seth Bryant, Jacob, Tyler, and Lucas Hein, and Zoe Chavez; great-grandchildren Jack and Lydia Hackett.

He was preceded in death by his son David (June, 1966), his parents (in 1993), his son-in-law Mike Jensen (Dec. 2007)