I miss his friendship, his laughter, his kind heart and his beautiful face. 💔

Bryan and I were close friends for almost half a century. We talked or texted almost weekly for years talking about golf and life.  I would say that Bryan was the best friend I ever had. I had not heard from him and didn't know who to call. I came across his obituary today and was deeply saddened. I will miss him terribly. I went on his honeymoon to Hawaii with him and Sharon and a friend of mine. I'm sorry I never met his children, he spoke so highly of you. He touched a great number of lives and everyone was better for having known him. 
My name is Terry Allen, 615-504-5652, terryaallen@comcast.net.

Bryan’s brother, Glen told me of Bryan’s passing.  Glen and I were high school classmates and teammates at Cookeville Central.  The Draper family had an amazing legacy as an athletic family as athletes and coaches.  Bryan came back to Cookeville when I was at TTU and it was great to get reacquainted and spend some quality time together at both John’s Place and the Frat House.  Last time I saw Bryan was when he came to see my son play baseball.  He came to all three Georgia vs Vols games… we laughed and really enjoyed catching up.  Bryan was one of the best and my prayers and thoughts are with his family.  Take comfort that he was such a positive and wonderful influence on everyone he met.  RIP Bryan Draper. 

If it were a UT Sat. afternoon game on  radio in Lebanon. TN in 1960 If there was a UT football game on radio in 1960at  Castle Heights Bullard Hall 3rd floor in Lebanon, TN  It would go something like this,  Bryan Draper. Larry  Cox from  Knoxville, and David "Boppin Dave" Young from Symrna, TN would be listening to the game.  "Boppin Dave" would be all excited thinking that he was the next Glenn "Red" Glass, UT's next single wing  tailback These were great days in the barracks and we were all diehard UT 'Big Orange  fans.  Maybe one  day in Heaven, Bryan , 'Boppin Dave, and  I can talk over these old times.  Thank  you good Lord for letting me walk along  the same path as Bryan and the other friends i met at Castle Heights.  God a prayer now for Bryan and all these friends. Thank you Lord. Amen
 

Larry Cox
A Memory with Bryan Draper

Bryan was a good friend of my parents as well as to many of his students.  My mother, Ellen Basham, was a PE teacher at Cleveland High and friends with all of the coaches.  He lived a year with my parents when I went to UT my Freshman year.  They had such a good time together, my 91 yr old father, Larry Basham,  still shares the stories of he and Bryan lifting weights in the basement every evening and what good shape they both were in.
I have had the good fortune of knowing Bryan for many years, as a teacher and a friend and recently we reconnected through FB and have spent many hours catching up on the phone.  I promised him we would make a trip to see him this fall, unfortunately, he couldn't wait for us.  Blessings and prayers to his family, you were his pride and joy.  He will be missed.


BD or just Draper was my friend and fraternity (SAE) brother whom I’ve known since the late 1960’s….Draper claims he raised me!!  I guess we have laughed a lot when we have been together or just talking on the phone.  We always had a funny story to tell each other or something just stupid that we had done. I think that we gave comfort to each other over the years because we had similar beliefs. His brother Glenn was my brother Ellis’s best friend back in Tennessee tech.  The Draper‘s have been good to us.  I told him I loved him last we talked..that was good! Doug Michlink

In 1965 my coach, Jim Woodall took me for a weekend  visit to Tennessee Tech and to watch his good friend Bryan Draper lead his Eagles in a football game. As Captain Bryan  started both on offence, center, and on defence, inside linebacker. I don’t recall ever seeing any lineman so dominating. On the field he was a man amongst boys. When he ran you could always pick him out. Possibly due to his extensive back injuries and surgeries he ran bent forward from the waist. I watched him in awesome wonder. I wanted to play like him. 

The following year, after being cut in the last cut by the Minnesota Viking he accepted a teaching/ coaching job at Cleveland High School and became my linebacker coach in my senior year. Like the E F Hutton commercial when that man spoke I listened. 

In later years I became a regular customer for lunch for at      his Brylyns restaurant on Market Square Mall in downtown Knoxville. Consistent with Bryan’s personality, everyday he would operate the cash register, and take my money with a minimal exchange of words. With the understanding of our friendship, a lot of words were not necessary. 

For the past several years Bryan and I have talked about once a year and have seen each other on rare occasions.   With his passing my world just became a little smaller.  I will miss my friend.      David Beckler

I met Bryan at Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, TN in 1960 where we played football as post graduates and roomed in the same barracks together. Bryan was a good football player and played basketball for CHMA also. We were both fun loving guys and became close friends living in the barracks together. I found Bryan to be a big guy with a huge heart and a great personality. After I came back to my home in Knoxville, Bryan started attending UT and later opened a food deli. We both attended Rocky Top and followed “Big Orange” during our lives. I went back to MTSU and Airforce and came back to Knoxville again to work and raise a family. Bryan and I never made contact again. I have never forgotten Bryan for 60 years and wished we had made contact with each other during these years. He has been in my thoughts and prayers since I found about his passing. From one Vol for life to another -may the good Lord rest your soul Bryan and bless your family. I had a stroke this past April and may not be able to attend his memorial service on Sunday. If so, I will pray for him during the service. 
In love and sympathy,, 
Larry G. Cox 


My late husband Greg Snyder attended Castle Hgts Academy with Bryan Draper and Larry Cox and was a football player with them.
So sorry for your loss,  Will keep the family in my prayers at this time.

I met Bryan at Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, TN in 1960 where we played football as post graduates and roomed in the same barracks together. Bryan was a good football player and played basketball for CHMA also. We were both fun loving guys and became close friends living in the barracks together. I found Bryan to be a big guy with a huge heart and a great personality. After I came back to my home in Knoxville, Bryan started attending UT and later opened a food deli. We both attended Rocky Top and followed “Big Orange” during our lives. I went back to MTSU and Airforce and come back to Knoxville again to work and raise a family.  Bryan and I never made contact again. I have never forgotten Bryan for 60 years and wished we had made contact with each other during these years. He has been in my thoughts and prayers since I found about his passing. From one Vol for life to another - may the good Lord rest your soul Bryan and bless your family. I had a stroke this past April and may not be able to attend his memorial  service on Sunday. If so, I will pray for him  during the service. 
In love and sympathy,
Larry G. Cox 

So very sorry to hear about Coach Draper. He was my neighbor on Georgetown Road when he, Coach Woodall and Coach Jim Tamara all had apts. nearly next door. Later I knew him at Cleveland High School and also when he owned BD’s Deli in Shelbourne Towers when I was at UT. He was a good guy. So sorry for your loss.

Bryan will truly be missed. I've know him for over 20 years while working at Freshens. He was a franchisee years ago and became a friend over the years. I would see Bryan a few times a year when he come by our office to meet up with Ed Redmond to go hunting. 
He always had a smile on his face and it was always a treat to see him.    

Bryan will be missed by so many students and friends. I had him in Algebra at Cleveland High then met him again as an adult at his deli in Knoxville! He was such a kind person. He was fun being around and I so wish I had kept up with him throughout the years. Rest In Peace, Bryan. 

Coach Draper was one of the most motivating coaches we had with the team that came to Cleveland, job well done

Sincere condolences to the family of Coach Bryan Draper.  I was fortunate to have seen him several years ago at 1968 CHS class reunion.  That was an unexpected pleasure. RIP Coach Draper. 

Hello, this is Gregory Davis. I had the pleasure of playing football at Cleveland High when Coach Draper was coaching. We were in  racial transition and Coach Draper was a nice and understanding coach. He showed me respect and treated me as just another player that he helped to be a better person and athlete. I am happy  and proud to have been a part of his journey in life and he will be missed by me and all the other people that he came in contact with. God bless you all and my condolences to the Draper family.

Bryan was a good man, fun-loving with a kind heart. We shared some good times. He is already terribly missed 💔

OBITUARY

M. Bryan Draper

November 1, 1942 – August 30, 2022

Berry Highland West

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