Johannah Bryant

Johannah J. Bryant of Lawrence, KS passed away on December 7, 2024 at the age of 81 of complications from a stroke. Jo was born on September 16, 1943 to James B. Jones and Eileen Henshaw Jones in St. Louis, MO. Jo graduated from Brentwood High School and then went on to major in Religion and Philosophy at DePauw University. She also received her master's degree in Student Personnel Management in Higher Education at Syracuse. Jo dedicated her life to serving the needs of her community through both her career choices and the many community service roles she fulfilled during her lifetime. She and her ex-husband, Gary Bryant, participated in the Vista Volunteer program working with underserved populations in the U.S. Her most notable career positions were as the executive director of Kansas Action for Children in Topeka where she helped to develop the Kids Count book which is still in publication today, and as the Director of the United Way of Douglas County from 1981-1986 and again from 1998-2008. Some of the many community leadership positions Jo held throughout her lifetime include the Douglas County Citizen Review Board for 19 years, the Early Childhood Trauma Collaborative, the City Alcohol Tax Advisory Board for 6 years, a volunteer for Rape Victim Support Services helping victims for 9 years, and the Kansas Children's Coalition for 9 years. She continued to be active in her community after retirement by advocating for programs which she felt were vital to improving life for her community.

Jo will be lovingly remembered by her two children, Leticia Cole (Jason) and Sarah Maier (Andy), her brother, Jamie Jones (Barb), and her six grandchildren, Carson, Cali, and Emery Cole and Ella, Owen, and Mackenzie Maier. Jo was a long time resident of Lawrence, KS and had an amazing network of friends and colleagues with whom she regularly connected. In her free time she enjoyed reading on her own or as part of her book clubs, meeting with her Spirit Group, traveling with friends and family, and spending time with her daughters and grandchildren. Jo was regarded by others as strong, determined, thoughtful, and intentional. Everything Jo did in life was done with purpose and thought, from the career positions she chose, to the gifts she selected, to the words she wrote. The Lawrence community has lost one of its very special community servants. Jo's legacy will live on in the many community foundations she played a role in forming and growing.

A memorial service will be held at Plymouth Congregational Church on February 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, Jo would want her friends and family to contribute to a recent passion of hers in her memory:

The Community Children's Center: Communitychildrenks.org/donate (please check the box which allows you to dedicate the donation to Jo). Or you can mail payment to: 346 Maine St, Lawrence, KS, 66044.