Walter Bryant Gilbreath

Walter Bryant Gilbreath, Sr., 81, of Signal Mountain went to be with his Lord and Savior on January 8, 2015 at Memorial Hospital. With him were his wife, Marie, daughter, Susan, son, Bill and special RN, Joy. He graduated from Marion County High School, spent four years in the US Navy during the Korean War era and graduated from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. He was president of Clarklift Materials Handling, Inc and Bobcat of Chattanooga and Bobcat of McMinnville, TN. He served two terms on the Clark Dealer Advisory Council and was a member of Clark Equipment's President Club, composed of their top dealers. After retiring and selling his businesses, he joined Herman Walldorf and Company's commercial and industrial real estate division.

He and his family attended First Presbyterian and Rivermont Presbyterian churches, where he and his wife were members. He was a longtime member of Chattanooga Golf and Country Club and the Chattanooga Choo-Choo RV club where he and Marie spent many happy years traveling North America with their camping friends. Bryant and Dee Dee had celebrated 46 years of marriage on December 29.

Bryant was preceded in death by his parents, Elbert Houston, Sr. and Mildred Bryant Gilbreath, of Jasper, TN; his brother, E.H. "Bert" Gilbreath, Jr., of Colfax, NC; his daughter, Marjorie "Meg" Gilbreath Grant and his son, Walter B. Gilbreath, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Marie D. Gilbreath, Signal Mountain, daughter, Susan Warren Gilbreath, Chattanooga and son, William Houston Gilbreath, Tampa FL.

Visitation with the family will be on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 from 1- 2 pm at Chattanooga Funeral Home, North Chapel.

Graveside service for Bryant will be conducted at 2:30 pm on Tuesday follow the visitation

at Chattanooga Memorial Park ( Duck Pond), The services will be held by The Reverend Gordon Temple.

A very special thanks to Lisa Bowen, Hamilton County Emergency Services, Dr. Richard Pesce, Dr. Alan Shikoh, Dr. Michael Harper and the wonderfully caring nursing staff at CHI Memorial's Critical Care Unit. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl, Memphis, TN 38105.

Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com