William Walter Bryan (1936-2022)
William Walter (Walt/“Wooter”) Bryan, Colonel, USAF (Ret), formerly of Cookson, Okla., and most recently of Culpeper, Va., went home to be with the Lord, and the love of his life, Marlene, on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022.
He was born on a large family farm to Frankie Ailee (Bird) Bryan and Roderick Olonza (Rod) Bryan Sr. on Aug. 23, 1936, in Forrest City. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frances Marlene Bryan, his mother, father, brothers, Billy B. Bryan of Fayetteville and Roderick Olonza (Buddy) Bryan Jr., sisters Anna Faye (Bryan) Childs and Sarah Frances (Bryan) Clark, all of Forrest City.
Walt graduated Forrest City High School in May 1954, where he met the love of his life Frances Marlene Byrd. He enrolled in Texas A&M College in September, 1954, and Marlene followed him to Texas. They were wed on Feb. 1, 1955 in Houston. While at A&M, he participated in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, A.F.R.O.T.C., A.S.A.E., Alpha Zeta and Tau Beta Pi fraternities. In May 1958, he was awarded a BS in ag engineering, commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Air Force, and entered pilot training in February of 1959. He and Marlene were blessed with the birth of their son, Bill, that same week in February.
He obtained his Air Force pilot rating in March 1960, and served in operational flying assignments until June of 1970, accumulated approximately 5,000 flying hours as pilot, instructor pilot and flight examiner. He served operational deployments in Vietnam, obtained a Master’s Degree in logistics management from the Air Force Institute of Technology in August 1971. He retired from active military service on Feb. 28, 1989, with the grade of Colonel, and received numerous awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Upon his AF retirement, Walt obtained a mathematics teaching certificate and taught high school math for 10 years.
In 2000, he and Marlene moved to Cookson, Okla. While in Cookson, they designed their dream home overlooking beautiful Lake Tenkiller, and received family members and friends.
Walt became a member of the First Methodist Church in Forrest City, circa 1950, and remained active in his local church (where stationed), participating in choir, adult Sunday school, Council on Ministries, finance committees, and staff parish relations committees throughout his days on this Earth. To quote from one of his favorite hymns, “...praise the Lord for the things He has done.”
He is survived by his son, William Walter (Bill) Bryan III, and wife, Susan ,of Warrenton, Va.; grandchildren, Nathan Avery Bryan and wife, Laura, of Falls Church, Va., Caitlin Marie (Bryan) Kirby and husband, Adam, of Springfield, Va., Lauren Alane Bryan of San Diego, Calif., Mallory Faith Bryan of Raleigh, N.C., and great-grandson William Walter (Liam) Bryan, IV of Falls Church, Va.
The family will receive friends on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, at Moser Funeral Home, 233 Broadview Ave., Warrenton, Va., from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., when the funeral service will begin. Burial will follow in Culpeper National Cemetery at noon with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndromes) Foundation, and Samaritan’s Purse Operation Heal Our Patriots.