William Jennings Bryan Jr.

Memorial services for William “Bill” Jennings Bryan Jr., 87, Lawrence, will be at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Trinity Episcopal Church. Graveside inurnment services will be at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Penwell-Gabel Memorial Park Cemetery in Topeka.
Mr. Bryan died Friday, Sept. 11, 2009, at Brandon Woods at Alvamar.
He was born Aug. 14, 1922, in Osage County, the son of William and Sylvia Faye Sell Bryan. He graduated from Carbondale High School.
Mr. Bryan received a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education from Kansas State University in 1949. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Mr. Bryan worked at the Kansas Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and later at Coleman Industries.
He was a math and science teacher at the middle school in Cave Junction, Ore. Mr. Bryan worked as a chemist for the state of Kansas Department of Agriculture in Topeka before retiring.
Mr. Bryan was an active member of the Lions Club and had been a city commissioner for the city of Scranton. He was a charter member of the Heart of America Urantia Society and also a member of the Kaw Valley Organic Garden Club. Mr. Bryan was the first licensed hot air balloonist in the state of Kansas. He was an avid gardener and woodworker.
He married Elnor Tooley in Hastings, Neb., in 1945. They were married for 26 years. He later married Marie Goodman in April 1977. She preceded him in death in July 1988. Mr. Bryan later married Eugenia H. Leasure Sullivan on May 28, 1989, at Danforth Chapel. She survives, of the home.
Other survivors include three daughters, Rita Faye Fincher and husband Neil, Medford, Ore., Lois Louise Kershaw and husband Kobi, Snoqualmie, Wash., and Beth Ellen Dickson, Topeka; a son, Randall Ray and wife Linda, Central Point, Ore.; a daughter-in-law, Abbie Bryan, Medford, Ore.; a brother, James D. and wife Laurel; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Bryan; seven stepdaughters, Lauren Sullivan, Santa Cruz, Calif., Genie Marie Sullivan, Lawrence, Martha Sullivan, Prague, Kathy Frazer, California, Patty Duke, Bolivar, Mo., Elizabeth Miles, Dragoon, Ariz., and Deborah Cox, Lancaster, Calif.; five stepsons, Kevin Sullivan and wife Connie, Hiratsuka, Japan, David Farrington, San Pedro, Calif., Michael Farrington, Reno, Nev., Tim Schwartz, Sparks, Nev., and John Schwartz, Sparks, Nev.; eight grandchildren, Neil, Steven, Challan, Korbin, William, Jon Paul, Andrew and Luke; and two stepgrandchildren, Rowan and Mika.
He was preceded in death by a son, William B.; a brother, Charles E.; and a sister, Nina Mae Kieffer.
The family suggests memorials to the Nature Conservancy of Kansas and Foxhall Endowment Fund, sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain.com, subject: Bryan.