Kay Marilyn Bryan

Kay Marilyn Bryan passed away and into the arms of her Lord on September 1, 2017 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center.

Kay was born in Beatrice, NE on February 23, 1937. Her parents were Cliff and Doris Nelson. She spent most of her childhood and school years in Cherokee, Iowa where she graduated from high school in 1955. She attended Colorado State College of Education in Greeley, Colorado for one year before returning to Iowa to attend and graduate from Iowa State University in 1959 with a B.S. Degree in Home Economics. She taught home economics for one year in Sioux City, Iowa and then one year in Des Moines at Nathan Weeks Junior High.

While attending Iowa State University, Kay met and subsequently married Roger Bryan on August 7, 1960. Her marriage was blessed with the birth of two daughters in 1963 and 1966. She moved from South Dakota to Des Moines in 1972. In 1981 she returned to Iowa State University and achieved a second degree with a B.S. in Dietetics in 1983. She then pursued her career as a licensed dietitian in private consulting practice for 7 years.

Kay was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority while at Iowa State. During her life in Des Moines she was a member of The League of Women Voters, a longtime member of HX Chapter of PEO, in which she was very involved and was past president of the chapter. She is a member of the Lutheran Church of Hope and was involved in Christ Life, a woman’s support group.

Kay was a devout person of faith and read the bible daily, as well as praying daily. She was loyal to Christian principles and endeavors throughout her life. Hospitality is one word that could be used to describe her. She enjoyed gathering friends for social events, dining, travel, and playing bridge. She was very inclusive during her life and could engage friends and strangers in conversation and rapidly could develop a mutual personal relationship. She was a good listener and confident.

She is survived by her husband, Roger Bryan; daughters, Shelly (Tim) Norton of Cary, NC and Janee (Brian) Mauney of Denver, CO; grandchildren, Sydney Norton of Cary, and Hugo and Estelle Mauney of Denver, CO; great-grandson, Axwell Norton of Cary, NC; and sister, Diane Nelson of Surprise, AZ. She is preceded in death by her parents, Cliff and Doris Nelson; and sister, Deborah Stone.

Memorial and Celebration of Life services will be held at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Pkwy at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 7, 2017. Following the memorial service a reception and luncheon will be held at Edgewater Senior Life Community, 9225 Cascade Ave, West Des Moines, IA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lutheran Church of Hope Care Ministry Program or the Edgewater Employee Scholarship Fund.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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