B. J. Bryson

Billy Joe “BJ” Bryson, age 89, was born on March 3,1936 and went to be with the Lord on January 5, 2026. He was known to family and friends simply as BJ, a name that reflected his warm, familiar spirit.

BJ was born in Memphis, TN, a proud graduate of Treadwell High School, a respected Mason and a member of the Shriners. He went on to build a long and respected career in telecommunications. He worked for BellSouth and AT&T, specializing in special services and PBX installation and maintenance. Known for his strong work ethic and technical skill, he took great pride in doing things the right way.

A member of Faith Baptist Church in Arlington, BJ valued his church family and treasured relationships made there. You could almost always find him in his workshop, it was his happy place, where he built, repaired, and tinkered—often creating something useful, always creating something with care. Friends and family knew that if it was broken, BJ could fix it. He also cherished time spent fishing with his buddies, enjoying both the quiet of the water and the camaraderie of good friends.

BJ was known for his love of conversation and storytelling. He had a natural way of connecting with people and cherished the time he spent talking and sharing memories with family and friends.

BJ is survived by his wife, Linda Berry Bryson, sister, Norma Bryson; daughter, Terry Swain (Craig) ; son, Ken Bryson, and his grandchildren Kendall, Tyler, Andrew and Bradley and 4 great grandchildren. He also leaves 1 stepson David Berry (Melanie), two step daughters, Donna Birdsong (Ken), Penny Ragan (Ronald) and many grandchildren.

He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered for his skills, his generosity, and the love he shared with family and friends.

A visitation will be held at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, located at 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, TN, 38133, on January 12, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The funeral service will follow at the same location at 2:00 pm.