Obituary of Patricia "Pat" Connolly Bryant

Patricia “Pat” Connolly Bryant, beloved friend, wife and mother passed away unexpectedly October 22, 2018 in Leesburg, FL. Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma on June 1, 1933, she and her family moved to Vallejo, California during World War II where her father assisted in the war effort at Mare Island Shipyard.

She excelled in school and graduated a year early.  At 19 she began work at Hamilton Air Force Base as the Secretary to two esteemed generals.  From there she went to work with the Atomic Energy Commission attaining a “Q” security clearance.

She met her husband 1st Lieutenant, James W. Bryant in 1960 who was stationed at Oakland Army terminal and they married a year later at the Presidio in San Francisco.  They remained married until his death at the age of 70 after 43 years of marriage.   

Their life together was exciting and wonderful.  During the course of their lives they lived and worked in Germany, Taiwan, Italy and Saudi Arabia.   They spent over 20 years in the military before her husband retired and went to work in the private sector. They adopted two sons Peter (53) and Thomas (51) from Germany after which she left the work sector and devoted her life to being a loving and caring mother, nurturing her two sons and encouraging them to be there very best.

Throughout the course of their marriage, Pat and her family travelled constantly, touring the world and the US.   Her love for foreign cultures was infectious; she had many hobbies some of which were the arts, reading, skiing and gardening.   She was always looking to broaden her knowledge of the world at any opportunity. Throughout every home she had, there was always a “Victory Garden” in the backyard.   She loved animals and there was always a couple of cats and dogs roaming through the house.

Eventually Pat and her husband retired to Lake Tahoe, Nevada.  This became her favorite place on earth.  However wanderlust returned and they moved to Las Vegas and eventually Bremerton, Washington.

After her husband’s death she moved with her son Peter when he and his family relocated to Florida.   

She is survived by her two sons Peter Bryant of Clermont, Florida and Thomas Bryant of Missoula, Montana and her grandchildren Alexandra, Lyndsey and Kassidy; and her cat Annie.

She is preceded in death by her parents Patrick and Nancy Connolly; her beloved husband James Bryant; her brother Thomas “Pete” Connolly; and her sister Rosemary Burger.

A life as richly blessed as hers cannot be described in any obituary.   She was greatly loved and will be deeply missed.

Visitation will be at HIERS-BAXLEY Funeral & Cremation Life Event Center, 3975 Wedgewood Lane, The Villages, FL  32162 Saturday, October 27, 2018  3:00 – 4:00 PM   Sentiments may be left online at www.hiers-baxley.com.