Edna May Bryan

Edna May Bryan
Ankeny

Edna May was born to William Perry and Vivian Brown on April 27, 1925 in Denver, Colorado, and was greeted by her heavenly Father on January 6, 2019.

Edna May was the third child of five. She is survived by three children, Mary (John deceased) Powers of Ankeny, Iowa, James (Janet) Bryan of Ankeny, Iowa, and David (Donna) Bryan of Polk City, Iowa. Twelve Grandchildren, Twenty-three Great-Grandchildren, and two brothers, Neal (Penny) Browne of Robertsville, Missouri, and Don (Carolyn) Browne of Manchester, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Donald George Bryan, her older sister, June Bovill, and her younger brother, Bob Browne.

Edna May moved from the farm to downtown St. Louis, Missouri when she was only ten. She was industrious even as a child, helping to sell newspapers with her brother on the street corners, and giving the money they earned to her parents.

She met her husband in 1942, and after a whirlwind romance and a short engagement, she was married on Wednesday, June 17, 1942. Shortly after their wedding, Don was called to active service in WW II. They were apart for two and a half years, but made up for their time apart when God brought him home from the war. They spent six months camping out in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona, and then ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska. While living in Fairbanks, Edna May went to an evening church service. One gospel verse, John 14:13 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son,” brought her to the place where she placed her trust in Jesus’s death on the cross to take the punishment for her sins. Not only was her heart changed, but her life changed. They moved down from Alaska to Washington State and while attending Richland Baptist Church grew in their desire to know more of God’s Word. They left Washington to attend a Bible College and Seminary in southern California. They pulled an 8x24 foot travel trailer with their Model A Ford Coupe all the way from Washington to California, and then ended up living in their travel trailer for the next seven years. During this time, God gave Edna May and Don three children. In 1957 they moved to northern California and she began serving God together with her husband in church ministry and specifically children’s Bible studies. Edna May not only loved the Lord, but had an intense desire to know Him through the study of God’s Word and to share with others how God can change your life, giving hope and joy to the hopeless. Edna May loved gospel music and had many favorite songs, and it was central to her life even in dying. Her hope and joy that she would soon see her Savior was evident even in her last days and hours. She lived her life as an evidence to the scripture that says, “for where your treasure is there will your heart be also” Matthew 6:21. Edna May was married to Don Bryan for 66 years, sharing their lives together in ministry and love for God. She will be missed by her family and friends here on earth, but make no mistake, she is joyfully worshipping her heavenly Father in heaven at His throne.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 8, 2019, at Slater Baptist Church, 601 Story Street in Slater, Iowa from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., with a memorial service to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Gideon’s International Processing Center, www.Gideons.org, in loving memory of Edna May.

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

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