Edith C Bryant

Edith C. Bryant entered this life on August 31, 1915 in Nevada, MO, the daughter of Nathan and Hattie (Lewis) Canaday. After her school years, she met and married the love of her life, Ray Bryant in 1937 in Olathe, KS. They enjoyed 52 wonderful years together until his passing in 1998.

One of her passions while growing up was playing the violin. She spent many years taking lessons and practicing. Her first job, earning her 5 cents an hour when she was 8 years old, was playing the violin at a local movie theatre during the showing of silent movies. She later was able to fulfill a dream by playing the violin with the Ponca City Symphony Orchestra.

During the WWII, Edith worked at McDonald Douglas helping in the design and installation of airplane instrument panels and reading blue prints for aircraft. The late 1940s found Edith busy with raising their two daughters, Wynona and Saundra, while selling milk, cream, butter, eggs, and pecans. She was also active in PTA, her church, politics, and tried her hand at Census taking. Her other interests included sewing for her children, gardening, canning, cooking, and perfecting her cinnamon roll recipe, which everyone thoroughly loved. Fishing was one of her favorite past times which they she and Ray did traveling the country to fish as many lakes as possible. She always found opportunities to work and benefit others and never missed the chance to tell a good joke looking for the shock factor to really surprise people.

A move to Lake Tenkiller in 1970 had Edith commuting to her job at the Tulsa Board of Education for several years. After retiring, Edith spent her time reading, canning, quilting and especially baking bread, cinnamon rolls and most important having many, many fish frys with lots of friends and family.

Edith finished her 101 year-long journey on Monday, September 26, 2016 in Tahlequah, OK and took her final trip home to be with the Lord. She was an amazing woman that is going to be dearly missed.

Those that went before her include her husband, parents, and one brother, Lewis Laverne Canaday.

Edith is survived by her two daughters, Wynona Powell and husband Dwight of Bryant, AR and Saundra Mace and husband Harold of Stillwater, OK, one brother, Glen Canaday of Denison, TX, two sisters, Virginia Biffle of Edmond, OK and Beryl Murphy of Tulsa, OK. Her legacy lives on through her six grandchildren, Dean Walker of Anchorage, AK, Natalie Woolsoncroft of Valley Center, KS, Stephen and Ryan Barnhart, both of Wichita, KS, Robin Hiscott of Tomball, TX and Randy Mace of McKinney, TX along with twelve grandchildren and many friends and loved ones.