Strong and stubborn but generous and loving, Helen survived numerous personal challenges in her life, including the death her beloved husband, Beryl, in 1969, to see her seven children grow and thrive. She then found boundless joy in watching her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren carry on the family tradition of hard work, perseverance and compassion for others.
Helen was born April 6, 1925, in Lyons, Colo., to Elva Pearl and John William Lamar. She attended schools in Longmont, Colo., graduating from Longmont High School in 1943. She married Beryl Russel Bryant in January of 1944.
Helen was one of thousands of women who went to work in American factories to support the Allied war effort in World War II, proudly making fan belts at the Gates Rubber Company factory in Denver. She earned her PHT (Putting Husband Through), helping Beryl earn his degree from the University of Colorado. They moved several times, starting in Denver, then on to Casper, Wyo., back to Denver, then to Wichita, Kan., and Borger, Texas, before settling in Loveland in 1964.
Beryl ran the Westlake Standard Station on the corner Taft and Eisenhower, with Helen handling the bookkeeping while raising their growing family. When Beryl died in 1969, Helen raised the four youngest children by herself. She had high expectations for all of her children, and was always supportive and involved in the lives of her children, grandchildren, great-children and great-great-grandchildren well into her 90s. All of her children were present when she celebrated her 96th birthday.
Helen lived in the same Loveland home for the final 56 years of her life. She attended Trinity Baptist, Orchards Baptist and Derby Hill Baptist churches over the years and was an avid reader of the Loveland Reporter-Herald.
Helen is survived by children Lynn Robinson (Guy, deceased), Judi Bryant (Jama Bradley), Paula McKelvey, Sandi Mast (Dave), Nancy Cole, John Bryant (Sandie) and Dale (Vicky); 14 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren. (She was also blessed with 5 beloved grand-dogs.)
She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Betty, brother John and husband Beryl.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday, May 24, at Allnutt Funeral Home, 2100 N. Lincoln Ave. in Loveland. A memorial service will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 25, at Allnutt.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Denver’s Craig Hospital (craighospital.org/foundation/howtogive) or Loveland’s Alternatives to Violence (https://alternativestoviolence.org/donate).
