Joyce Rye Bryan

Joyce Elaine Rye Bryan Joyce was born on Aril 12, 1928 to Henry James Rye (local schoolteacher) and Gladys Lenore Strain. The family lived in a small white house at 903 Denman Ave. Joyce was blessed with loving siblings including Gladys Marcelle, Charles Darwin and Phillip Lowell (deceased). She also had two half brothers Lacy Lee and James Earl. Her love for the Lord was born early in her life as she and her family worshipped under Pastor Emma Irick at a local Nazarene Church.

Joyce attended and graduated from Lufkin High School. After her graduation, she married Sheridan Lee Selman also from Lufkin, TX. Soon after they married, they moved to Dalhart TX where in August, 1949 they were blessed with the birth of their first child, Gary Lee Selman. Within a few months they decided to relocate to Dallas TX to be closer to family. Soon after, she gave birth to a daughter, Sheila Ann Selman and a few years after that another son, Leslie Craig Selman. Joyce and Sheridan divorced in 1967. Shortly after, she took a job at Dallas Power & Light where she worked for many years as a secretary. It was there that she met and later married James R. Bryan, a 50+ year employee of DP&L. They lived in Dallas, TX until his death in 1986. She continued to live in the home that she shared with her late husband until 2004 when she moved to Houston, TX to live with her daughter. She felt it was time to be closer to her son and grandchildren. After two years with Sheila and Ken, she moved into an Adult Retirement Community (The Terrace). At The Terrace her outgoing personality enabled her to make many friends as Volunteer Courtyard Captain greeting new residents and assisting them in their adjustment to their new life at The Terrace. Everyone who lived at The Terrace knew Joyce and always asked about her including the staff.

She is survived by Gary & Karen Selman (daughter-in-law); Sheila Selman & Ken Lowe (son-n-law); Leslie Craig & Kitty Smiley (daughter-in-law); two granddaughters: Amy and her husband Norris Smith and Monica McCreary; two grandsons, Billy and Jeremy Selman; three great- grandchildren, Tristan, Lane and Chance.

Those who knew Joyce know that she loved the Lord, faithfully tithed her entire adult life, and started her day in God’s Word and in her numerous daily devotionals. During her years at The Terrace, on Sunday mornings, you could find her in a Sunday School class and Worship Service at University Baptist Church where she made many lasting friendships. Once she came to live with Gary and Karen, she would put on her “Sunday best” and join them at World Changers Church Houston.

Even though she suffered from Alzheimer’s and became increasing forgetful and confused, she was always on the go prior to her fall in July 2015. In fact, she could walk so fast, we nicknamed her “Eveready Bunny”. After her hip-replacement surgery, due to deteriorating health, she was admitted to Grace Care Center in Tomball, TX into Hospice Care where she lived until her death. As a family, we will always remember her quick wit, how outgoing and sociable she was and how much she liked being around other people. The nursing staff fell in love with her and allowed her to sit inside the Nurse’s Station so she could be close to them. On many visits to Grace Care, they expressed their love for her.

Joyce went to be with the Lord peacefully in her sleep on May 5, 2016. As a family, we know that she loved Jesus and that she is in a better place. Now she gets to have a lasting peace that often eluded her in life and best of all, she gets to hang out with Jesus for all of eternity.