Janis Sonzena-Bryant

Janis was the third of four children, after her big brother Terry and big sister Karen. At five years old her father decided to move the family to Ontario, CA, where a few years later her little brother Larry was born. Janis attended the local schools and graduated from Chaffee High School in 1970. She studied aeronautics at Mt. Sac. Sometime in 1976 Janis met her future husband, Eugene Kent Bryant, and eventually got married in 1979. In 1981 a son was born, Christian Joseph Bryant, almost in the dunes of Pismo Beach. Janis had gone into labor during our last camping trip before Christian was to be born.

Eventually Janis made her way back into the workforce and worked for the Upland Unified School District for 26 years in food service as a manager at a school kitchen. Janis retired at 60 years old, which worked out perfectly as a beautiful granddaughter, Elliana Sage Bryant, came into our lives a couple years later. Janis was able to help raise Ellie from a baby to almost 3rd grade when a pancreatic cancer diagnosis changed all our lives in an instant. Ellie continued to be a joy and bright light throughout the last 1.5 years while Janis fought through chemo, dialysis, and radiation. On April 7th at 9:00am, Janis' fight came to an end. Janis quietly passed with her beloved husband and son by her side.

Janis is predeceased by her father Joseph B. Sonzena and her mother Helen A. Sonzena, father-in-law Eugene T. Bryant and mother-in-law Violet Gay Bryant, and brother-in-law Fred Duran.

Janis is survived by her husband Eugene Kent Bryant, her son Christian Joseph Bryant and daughter-in-law Lindsey Gassaway Bryant, granddaughter Elliana Sage Bryant, her brothers Terry Sonzena (Mona) and Larry Sonzena (Beth), sister Karen Sonzena Kuhn (Lloyd), sister-in-laws Dodie Bryant and Debbie Bryant, and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.