Jack Cular Bryant

With great sadness, the family regrets to announce the unexpected passing of Jack Bryant, 77, beloved husband, father and businessman, of natural causes at his home in Illahee, Oct. 25.

Born in Fresno, Calif., Jack was one of two sons of Cular Napoleon Bryant and Patricia Antonetti Bryant. He spent his childhood in Sacramento, Calif., graduating from El Camino High School.

Within a year, the urge to travel beckoned Jack to enlist in the U. S. Navy. Following recruit training in San Diego, Jack first was assigned to a shore command in Hawaii, and then transferred to the infamous "Fighting Lady" of World War II fame: the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CVS 10).

While aboard Yorktown Jack was assigned to the supply department where he worked in shipboard retail and personal services as a ship's serviceman. Experience gained as a ship's barber ultimately would transform into a career spanning more than 50 years in the cosmetology profession.

To know Jack Bryant was to quickly come to appreciate a handful of personal characteristics: love for his family, generosity, kindness, a sense of humor, and three overwhelming enthusiasms: the hair styling profession, gardening and… golf!

After dropping his Navy seabag in Washington following his release from active duty, Jack set about to earn his cosmetology / barber licenses and then continue on to obtain a cosmetology instructor license. His long-standing establishment, Jack Bryant Hair Studio, was a Chico business fixture that served generations. He was especially attuned to the needs of customers experiencing hair loss due to illness. As an entrepreneur, Jack successfully developed his personal line of hair care products that always were in demand. As a cosmetology instructor, Jack often was consulted by hair and beauty supply companies, and he trained the Alaska State Team entering the World Hair Olympics International Competition. His reputation was far-reaching in the hair styling profession.

Before all this, though, he had to undergo instruction and apprentice training which consumed some 5,800 hrs. for the three licenses. While engaged in the hair styling portion of his licensing curriculum, a young woman entered his job training salon as a customer. It was that specific moment that he met his future wife, best friend and business partner, Mary, and they began their 45 years together - - 42 married. Mary also would earn her cosmetology license and worked alongside Jack in their studio for 40 years until she retired. Jack continued his studio business, serving his clients, up until his untimely passing.

Jack was an avid swimmer in his youth and out of curiosity, while in Hawaii, he grabbed a board and with practice became an avid surfer. But all this paled when, in 1977, he was introduced to golf and became addicted! Never a 'duffer,' always a strong competitor, Jack's drive to excel at this 600-year-old game was a given fact almost every weekend, whenever possible. He sought the excitement of playing on varied terrains on different courses as a key part of the sport. During more than 40 years of playing, Jack is credited with two aces (holes-in-one) made during a match. A trip to the home of golf, the Old Course at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, County Fife, Scotland, was Mary's surprise gift to Jack for his 50th birthday. While on the course, a chance encounter with local golfers resulted in invitations to tee-off at other 'royal' golf courses in Scotland, as guests of their Scottish hosts.

Jack is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter Denise Bryant of Poulsbo; son David Bryant of Port Orchard; son Greg Busch and his partner Beverly Reitnauer of Bremerton; daughter Heather Ogden of Port Orchard, and daughter Stacey Poteet and her husband Keith Poteet of Snohomish County. Jack also will live on in the memories of grandchildren Willow Bryant, Caleb and Jacob Ogden, and Jacob and Bethany Poteet.

He will be dearly missed by his two, much loved Ragdoll kitty 'fur babies,' Houdini and Missy.

Final arrangements are under the care of Miller-Woodlawn Funeral Home.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov.20, at Miller-Woodlawn Memorial Park, 5505 Kitsap Way, Bremerton. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Jack's memory be made to the American Heart Association, P. O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692, or on-line at www.heart.org