We lost our Dad in 1981 from cancer. Dad was
only 72. He was a retired Missionary Baptist Minister
and a kind, gentle and consientious man well-loved
by those who knew him. Dad love to tease everyone,
especially the grandkids.

When he was only a year old, he lost all of his fingers
and thumb on his left hand when he fell into a bonfire
his brothers had built. He had much strength
in that hand and it did not impair his ability to work
at all during his lifetime. He supported his Mother and
family after the death of his Father until the death of
his mother in 1943. However, because of his much
needed help, he could not finish his education and had
to quit high school at the beginning of his 12th grade.
His coach-teacher tried to persuade him to finish his
last year so he could run track, his coach said he was
the fastest in the State of Arkansas! He was a self-
starter; he built a home almost from scratch wth no
training, and worked at different jobs as well as
preached.

Franklin Henry Bryant was born 1908 in Stigler
Oklahoma and moved to Booneville, Arkansas while
very young. During the Second World War, Dad and
Mom with three small children came out on a train to
Portland, Oregon. They both worked in the shipyards
until the war was over. I remember living in Van Port,
a suburb of Portland, during this time. The whole area
of Van Port flooded, just after we moved to California.

While in California Mom and Dad had 2 more
children. In 1950 we moved back to Oregon. Since Dad
was a Missionary Baptist Minister, we moved around a

lot to different areas where Dad preached until he
retired.He baptized many people and married many couples.
He was well loved.

Dad and Mother married in 1934 and had five children.
Patsy Loutonia in 1936, Joyce Ann in 1938, Franklin D.
in 1940, Carlyon Sue in 1946 and Jim in 1948. I guess
that dates us.......He has 19 grandchildren, 42 great
grandchildren and 16 great great grandchildren.We all
love and miss Dad so much..........