Russell Willis Bryant (1932-2008)

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

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 10/16/2008 at 16:19:08

AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, October 15, 2007.

Feb. 13, 1932-Oct. 12, 2008

Russell Willis Bryant, 76, of Washta, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, after a hard fought battle with cancer. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at Meadow Star United Methodist Church in Washta. Family visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Greenwood Funeral Home in Cherokee.

Russell Willis Bryant was born Feb. 13, 1932, to Frank and Dorothy (Carver) Bryant. He graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1949. He then attended Iowa State College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture education and later a master's degree in agriculture economics. While at Iowa State, he met the love of his life, Beulah Anderson, and they married June 19, 1954, in Pomeroy. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer for two years and was stationed in Rapid City, S.D., and Denver, Colo. 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, Mo., 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.

He and Bea then returned to Washta, where Russ owned and managed a large cattle-feeding operation, as well as a cow-calf operation and grain crop production. He also worked for the Farmer's Home Administration as a consultant and for the state of Iowa as State Farm Administrator for several years.

He 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. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and loved the great outdoors.

He is survived by and will be greatly missed by his wife, Bea; his son, Steve (Penni) Bryant, and his daughter, Jill Jensen, all of Ames; daughters, Joan (John) Bryant-Kennedy, Carol (Jason) Hein and Julie Bryant, all of Colorado Springs, Colo.; his son, John (Tina) Bryant, of Albuquerque, N.M.; two brothers, Robert (Becky) Bryant, of Aurelia, and Roger Bryant, of Washta; grandchildren, Josh Bryant, Erin (Tom) Hackett, Emma Bryant, Zack and Kaitlyn Kennedy, Dane and Claire Jensen, Seth Bryant, Jacob, Tyler and Lucas Hein, and Zoe Chavez; and great-grandchildren, Jack and Lydia Hackett.

He was preceded in death by his son, David; his parents; and his son-in-law, Mike Jensen.

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