William “Bill” Jennings Bryan

Memorial services for William “Bill” Jennings Bryan, Jr., 87, Lawrence will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, October 11, 2009, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence, KS.  Graveside Inurnment services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, October 12, 2009 at Penwell-Gabel Memorial Park Cemetery in Topeka, KS.  He died September 11, 2009 at Brandon Woods Retirement Community.

Mr. Bryan was born August 14, 1922 in Osage County, KS, the son of William and Sylvia Faye (Sell) Bryan.

He was a graduate of Carbondale High School.  Mr. Bryan received his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Arts Education from Kansas State University in 1949.  He served in the Army Air Corp during WW II.  Mr. Bryan worked at the Kansas Rehabilitation Center for the Blind.  He later worked at Coleman Industries.  He was a math/science teacher at the middle school in Cave Junction, OR.  Mr. Bryan worked as a chemist for the State of Kansas Department of Agriculture in Topeka before retiring.  He was an active member of the Lions Club and  had been a city commissioner for the City of Scranton, KS.  He was a charter member of the Heart of America Urantia Society and also a member of the Kaw Valley Organic Garden Club.  Mr. Bryan was the first licensed hot air balloonist in the State of Kansas.  He was an avid gardener and wood worker.

He married Elnor Tooley in Hastings NE, in 1945.  They were married for 26 years.  He married Marie Goodman in April 1977.  She preceded him in death in July 1988.  Mr. Bryan later married Eugenia H. Leasure Sullivan, on May 28, 1989, at Danforth Chapel, Lawrence, KS.  She survives of the home.

Other survivors include three daughters, Rita Faye Fincher and husband, Neil, Medford, OR, Lois Louise Kershaw and husband, Kobi, Snoqualmie, WA, and Beth Ellen Dickson, Topeka; one son, Randall Ray and wife, Linda, Central Point, OR; a daughter-in-law, Abbie Bryan, Medford, OR; one brother, James D. Bryan and wife, Laurel; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Bryan; seven step-daughters, Lauren Sullivan, Santa Cruz, CA, Genie Marie Sullivan, Lawrence, KS, Martha Sullivan, Prague, Czech Republic, Kathy Frazer, Park, CA, Patty Duke, Bolivar, MO, Elizabeth Miles, Dragoon, AZ, Deborah Cox, Lancaster, CA; five step-sons, Kevin Sullivan, and his wife, Connie Hiratsuka, Japan, David Farrington, San Pedro, CA, Michael Farrington, Reno, NV, Tim Schwartz, Sparks, NV and John Schwartz, Sparks, NV;  eight grandchildren, Neil, Steven, Challan, Korbin, William, Jon Paul, Andrew, Luke; two step- grandchildren, Rowan and Mika.  He was preceded in death by a son, William B.; a brother, Charles E., and a sister, Nina Mae Kieffer.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Nature Conservancy of Kansas and Foxhall Endowment Fund and sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com; subject:  Bryan.