Posted on 09/03/2015 4:38:13 AM PDT by DCBryan1
Jim Bryan III, 75, of Longboat Key, FL, died Sep. 1, 2015 at Arkansas Hospice from complications of pancreatic cancer. He was born in Harrison, AR in 1940 to the late J.W. and Jane Bryan of Bellefonte, AR. He was preceded in death by his son Joey (who died of a brain tumor in 1981 at age ten) and grandparents Witt and Zula Burns Bryan and Noah and Myrtle Eoff Dearing. He is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Ann, son Jim, IV and his wife Ann, son Chris and his wife Jennifer, grandchildren Laura and her newlywed husband Russ, Ethan and Pam, all of Pulaski County, AR. He is also survived by his brother John and his wife Deborah of Tulsa, OK, and uncle Joe of Bellefonte, AR.
Jim was raised on a farm in southern Boone County raising poultry, showing cattle, and harvesting apples. He was a standout athlete at Valley Springs, still ranking among the state’s top all-time scorers in high school basketball with 2,792 points 1955-58, coached by Sid Ragland and his novel up-tempo style. He played one season under Coach Sam Hindsman at Arkansas Tech in 1959-60 before transferring to Henderson State Teachers College and lettering in 1961-62 under Coach Morton Hutto (who most importantly introduced Jim to Ann). He was inducted as a Golden Reddie in 2012. An economics major, he also attended graduate school at the University of Arkansas. After completing ROTC he was commissioned in the U.S. Army, serving in the armor battalion at Camp Roberts, CA and tasked with testing the prototype M60A1 medium tank with the U.S. Army's Combat Developments Command Experimentation Center (CDEC), 4th Medium Tank Battalion, 73rd Armor.
The family moved to North Little Rock in 1967 and after meeting with Henderson schoolmate Jim Hunter, Jim entered his career in investment banking with Delta Securities. That career spanned 47 years working for and leading a number of firms until his retirement from Crews & Associates in April of this year. Son Chris assisted him over the past 15 years. His work territory was west central Florida. He developed close personal friendships with his banking clients.
His passion in the 1970s was tournament bass fishing, with notable finishes in Mr. Bass of Arkansas and BASS. Fishing expeditions took him from Canada to Honduras, Cuba and Mexico. His investment firms gave him the special opportunity to compete in tournament softball as player, manager and sponsor. He was a 1999 inductee of the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame. He and Ann followed the basketball Razorbacks to many holiday and SWC/SEC tournaments. He maintained exquisite records of the state’s high school basketball history and was a constant campaigner for Wonder Boy and Reddie inductees into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
The family wishes to express its gratitude to the caregivers at First Choice Senior Services, the staff of Arkansas Hospice and Pastoral Care at St. James UMC.
Visitation will be held at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth on Thursday, Sept. 3 from 6-8 PM. Funeral service will be Friday, Sept. 4 at 11:00AM. A private burial will follow at Rest Hills. Memorials may be made to St. James United Methodist Church, Lakewood United Methodist Church, and the American Brain Tumor Association.
You got them FRiend.
My condolences on your loss
Lost my Mom last May
Now both are gone
Keep in touch with your family
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
May he rest in peace. Praying for your family.
Your family is in our prayers.
Congratulations to your dear Father for completing his race, leaving the Church Militant behind and taking his place in the Church Triumphant!
Prayers for strength and comfort for you and the others he leaves behind here.
We stand with you, and by you, during this time.
It sounds to me like he had a good run.
Prayers for all of your family.
I will pray. I lost my mother a few months ago I know the pain all too well.
Don’t try to be stoic that’s what I say. If you want advice. Give yourself time to grieve.
Prayers up. May God’s peace be with you and your family, and especially for your Mom.
I am so sorry for you and your family. My thoughts and prayers go to all of you.
I am so very sorry for your loss, DCBryan. Prayers for you and your family. I am sure your Dad was met by many of our other FReepers who have gone before us. Hugs, (((Mom)))
My condolences to you and your family.
This is a time for reflection and wonderful memories with the knowledge of knowing your Dad has returned home.
Done.
My father and I had a very deep belief in the hereafter and shortly before he passed we smiled at each other and simply said, See ya later, see ya later.
Granted, I still miss him terribly, but it is the faith that I know I’ll be at the same station saying the same to my boys.
I’m very sorry about your family’s loss. I will pray for your father at Mass today.
We lost my FIL in April @ 90
Prayers for your family.
Prayers
Prayers up for you, your family and father....... stay safe.
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