RICHARD EARL BRYANT – Obituary
Richard Earl Bryant of Franklinville on Saturday, June 26, 2021. Age 93. Husband of 72 years to Wilda Jean Bryant (nee Yingling). Father of Bonnie L. Fey (Chuck) of Franklinville; Scott L. Bryant (Maria) of Forked River, NJ; Maxine H. Volz (late Brian) of Feasterville, PA; and Gregory E. Bryant of Concord, NC. Grandfather of 9, great-grandfather of 17, and great-great-grandfather of 2. Son of the late Robert Frank & Frances M. (nee Locke) Bryant.
Born in Keenyville, PA and raised in Tioga County, PA, Richard was a resident of Feasterville, PA for 40 years before moving to Winter Haven, FL in 2000. During his 16 years in Florida, he and Wilda would summer in Franklinville, NJ which became their permanent residence five years ago. Richard attended Middlebury High School before proudly serving as a medic in the US Army in the Philippines from 1946 to 1947. From 1950 until his retirement in 1983, he worked as a heavy equipment operating engineer out of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 542 in Fort Washington, PA. Several years prior to his retirement, Richard started Bryant’s Gunsmithing which he continued to operate until they left their home in Pennsylvania and moved to Florida.
Richard was very much an outdoorsman. He loved fishing and hunting and was a big archery hunter. He also enjoyed camping, gardening (both flowers and vegetables), and later in life played golf. Richard was a longtime member and 9-year president of the Langhorne Rod & Gun Club and a member of the Franklinville VFW Post #2071. Along with Wilda, he enjoyed traveling around the United States including one very memorable trip in a motorhome in which they drove across the country and up into Alaska. In his later years, Richard picked up the hobby of making wine and leaves behind many bottles for his family to share and remember him by.
Relatives and friends are invited to his service on Friday, July 2, 2021, at 12:00 PM at the Franklinville United Methodist Church, 1525 Coles Mill Road, Franklinville, NJ 08322 where friends may call from 11:00 AM until service time. Interment at the Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Williamstown. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Richard to the American Heart Association, 1 Union Street, Suite 301, Robbinsville, NJ 08691. Sign the guest book at BarclayFuneralHome.net.