Elizabeth C. Bryan

April 29, 1919 – May 14, 2012 Longtime resident of Memphis, Eads and recently Jackson. Born and raised in Rozell, she raised her family in Mid-town, moved to the farm in Eads and relaxed at Jackson Meadow. Preceded in death by parents Pearl McElrath and William B. Covington; brother Thomas Covington; sisters Francis Mischke and Louise Reaves; daughter and son-in-law Helen Bryan and John Abernathy Smith; and loving husband of 70 years Louis Arnold Bryan. Survived by children Elizabeth Bryan Brown, William Louis and Marlene Bryan, Thomas Covington and Linda Bryan; grandchildren Julia Elizabeth Smith and Sue Wensel, Jay Abernathy and Andrea Moed Smith, Christine Elizabeth Bryan, Michael Timothy Bryan, Samuel Aaron Bryan and William Thomas Bryan; great grandson Elias Floyd Smith and many nieces and nephews.

Elizabeth graduated from Central High School and Methodist Hospital School of Nursing as an RN. She practiced as floor nurse and new born nursery nurse at Methodist Central, Clinic nurse in private practice and Shelby County school nurse while raising and educating the four kids through college and graduate school. She was very active in our church home Springdale Methodist, as Sunday school teacher, choir member, board member and medical missionary to Bolivia. Mom and Dad moved to St. Paul Methodist in Bartlett after moving to the farm and to Aldersgate Methodist in Jackson.

Mom and Dad semi-retired to the family farm after sending all the kids off to college. They raised and canned huge gardens, raised cattle, fished in the pond, hosted incredible family reunion barbeques, traveled with sisters and friends across the US and Europe and visited children and grandchildren wherever they lived and they lived all over. When the farm wore them out, Mom moved them to Jackson to really retire and relax. At Jackson Meadow, they raised tomatoes and flowers, fed the birds, read lots of books, enjoyed all the fun and activities and graciously received family and friends any time they showed up. We always celebrated Christmas at Elizabeth’s house every year, on Eva Street, on Reed-Hooker Road and on Max Lane Drive.

Visitation 1-3PM, funeral and burial at 3PM, Sunday May 20. Bethany Christian Church, 421 Bethany Rd., Eads, TN. In lieu of flowers, please make a charitable contribution of your choice.