Celebration of Life for John Alton Bryant, March 8, 1942- April 25, 2013, Friday, May 3, 2013, 1:00 p.m., Red Oak United Methodist Church, 3894 Walt Stephens Road, Stockbridge, Georgia 30284

He resumed employment with Nabisco at its Atlanta, Georgia facility as Assistant Supervisor of warehouse operations. He was later promoted to Plant Superintendent, then to Assistant Plant Manager, both with responsibility for managing plant activities during evening operations. Late in 1982, he accepted a promotion with the stipulation of relocating to the Fairlawn, New Jersey plant as Assistant Plant Manager, second in command. He reported to the new assignment in January 1983. By now the family included two sons, Antoine Jerard and Jason Andel, who along with Othajoined him in August, after completing their school term and spending most of the summer at home in Atlanta. During their stay in New Jersey, they attended Park Ridge United Methodist Church, Park Ridge, New Jersey, which was the town in which they resided.
In March of 1985, he accepted a Plant Manager position at the Buena Park, California plant. He and his family settled in Anaheim Hills,
California. After four plus years of managing the Buena Park facility, serious consideration was in order regarding the future of his career. When approached with the offer to relocate for the third time in six years, the family decided that remaining in California at least for the time
being was in the best interest of the family. Once the family became established in California, they became members of the Anaheim United Methodist Church, Anaheim, California. He once
again became active in various committees, including Trustees, Staff Pastor Parish Relations (SPPR) Chairman, Finance, and Anaheim United Methodist Foundation (AUMF) Chairman. He was driven by the belief that faith did not exist without work. Therefore, he continuously involved
himself in ministry. In his free time, John enjoyed keeping up with loved ones back home, reading, neighborhood walks, eating out, going to the gym nearly every
day and playing with his grandchildren. John is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Mary and his brother,
Maurice. He leaves to mourn a loving wife, Otha; Two sons: Antoine Jerard and Jason Andel, A daughter -in-law, Ina Bryant, two
grandchildren: Jacob and Maya Bryant, One god-daughter Stephany J. Walker; two sisters: Eddie B. Harris and Gwendolyn Graves (Norris); and five brothers: Odell (Beverly) Howard, Terrell (Deborah), Bernard and Stanley (Kathy); Sister-In-Law, Carole Bryant, One Aunt, Catherine
Norwood; nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
W.1J. Lemon & Sons :funera{:J-{ome
2090 Joy Lake 'Road Morrow, (ieorgia 30260

C I I 2 l : J U I 7 7 0 % 0 f l f i
for
J0..1-f%YLro.7t~2lRY~
:March 8, 1942 - .J\.yri{25, 2013 :friday, :May 3, 2013
1:oo y.m.
'RedOak 'United:Methodist Church 3894 Wa{t Steyfiens 'Road
StocfiridiJ~ ~eorgia 30284

JOHN ALTONBRYANT March 8, 1942 - April25 , 2013 John Alton Bryant was born on March 8, 1942 in Henry County Georgia to the late Ida L. and Eddie Bryant. He completed his first two years of education in the Henry County School System before transferring to the Clayton County System. He graduated from William A. Fountain High School in 1959 and enrolled in Clark College, Atlanta, Georgia (now Gark Atlanta University) in September of that year. While attending Clark, John was a strong student, but also enjoyed his social life, pledging Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He graduated with a Bachelor ofArts degree in Business Administration. He joined Red Oak Methodist Church (now Red Oak United Methodist Church), Stockbridge, Georgia, at an early age. Maturing and remaining active, he held several positions during his spiritual journey, focusing primarily on building a foundation that would attract others to join the race. His professional working career began in January 1964 when he became employed by Nabisco, Inc. as a Quality Control Technician. As fate would have it, the tenure was short lived as a result of being drafted into the Armed Forces in April of the same year. Following sixteen weeks of training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he was assigned to the Old Guard Company at Fort Myers, Virginia. The Old Guard is known for its excelleoce in ceremonial military duties. During his eighteen month tenure at Fort Myers, the unit to which he was assigned frequently performed reviews on the South Lawn of the White House for Foreign Dignitaries visiting with the President. John was also a member of the Military Team that led the Presidential Inauguration parade the following year and a member of the US Army Drill Team, performing at the New York World Fair and various local venues. In November of 1965, he was reassigned to duty in South Vietnam, arriving in Saigon in late December. There he joined the 1st Infantry Division in Di Az, South Vietnam as a member of the logistics team, responsible for supplying necessary materials to combat troops involved in battle. Upon returning to the U.S. after serving eleven months and twenty-nine days, he often spoke of how blessed he was for having avoided paying the ultimate price. He received his discharge on April 7, 1967 and rejoined Nabisco as a member of the supervisory staff. Having completed military duty and returned to his career, he proposed to his sweetheart of many years, Otha Hambrick, and on June 18, 1967 they engaged in holy matrimony. In early 1977 he felt the need to further his education and enrolled in the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program at Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia (now Clark Atlanta University) as a part-time student. He completed his requirements and received his MBA on December 20, 1978.
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Order ofServices
Pastor Yvette 1J. :Massey, Presiding

Pre{ude

Processiona{

Se{ection

Prayer

:Micfiae{ 'Brock

Scriyture

Larry 13rock

Oft T e s t a m e n t

:New Testament

WordS ofComfort

:Micliae{'Brock

Obituary

Si{ent Reading of Congregation

Se{ection

Ref{ections

(ja{etfia Tfiomyson

'Eu{ogy

Pastor :Massey

.Jtcknow{ecfgement VV. 1J. Lemon & Sons Staff

Recessiona{

Internment

Southview Cemetery

1990 jonesboro Roaci; S'E .Jtt{anta, (jeorgia 30315
Reyast RedOak 'United:Methodist Cfiurcfi
:fe{{owsfii_p J-fa{{
Stockbridge, (jeorgia 30281

:f{ower 'Bearers Pa{{bearers

:Nieces & :friends :Neyfiews & :friends

Ylcknowtedifement Tliefomifj; e_yJresses itsgratitude andqpyreciation to you
for your acts o/kindness tfuringliis i!Zhess andyour e_yJressions ifsymyatliy during our times o/fiereavement
-7/ie fami!j;-