Obituary of Samuel Wesley Bryant

On Friday, July 26, 2013, Sam went to be with the Lord, he passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Sam was born January 17, 1931 to William Perry Bryant, Sr. and Hazel Neel Bryant in Santa Cruz, CA. As a young boy during the depression, Sam, his brother, his mom and dad would grow vegetables, load them in a wagon and take them to town to sell. He also sold newspapers downtown. He never forgot that he grew up during the depression, and the life he lived reflected it. Sam attended Santa Cruz Elementary Schools and graduated from Santa Cruz High School class of 1948. He worked all his young life in the family business, Bryant's Nursery. In 1951 Sam enlisted in the United States Air Force. He received his basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas, and then on to Lowry AFB in Colorado for weapons training. Sam served with the 69th FTR. BMR. SQ. Armament in Korea. After his tour of duty in Korea, Sam's assignment was with the 3380th Air Police Sq. at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi where he met the love of his life, Peggy Newman Bryant. They were married August 14, 1955 in Gulfport, Mississippi. After Sam's discharge from the Air Force the couple returned to his home in Santa Cruz where he would continue his education, attending Hartnell Jr. College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Cal Poly University Pomona, graduating in 1961 with a BS degree in Landscape Architecture. Sam was an honor student and received a scholarship from the California Association of Nurserymen. He was a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and Alpha Zeta Fraternity. After graduating from Cal Poly he worked at Bryant's Nursery, Santa Cruz County Parks and Recreation Department, and retired from Cabrillo College Landscape Department in 1994. Sam also served 17 years on the Architectural and Site Review Committee for the City of Capitola. Sam was a man of Faith and loved the Lord. He was a member of First Christian Church of Santa Cruz/Santa Cruz Bible Church since a young boy. He previously served as a Deacon, Elder, and Sunday School Teacher. He went on a mission trip to Mississippi with Santa Cruz Bible Church after hurricane Katrina. Sam was a man that could do anything. He was a landscape architect by trade. He loved to travel and spend time with his family. He was a private pilot and loved to take his family members up whenever he could; he flew until July 2012. Sam traveled to many places including a trip to the Holy Land, South America, Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, Nova Scotia, and family trip to Hawaii. Peggy and Sam would spend 3 months out of the year at their home in Mississippi. He was very supportive of his children and granddaughters' sporting events and rarely missed a game or event. He leaves his loving wife of 58 years, Peggy Newman Bryant, Sons Martin Bryant, Midas Bryant (Carol), his daughter Michele Bryant-Petersen (Patrick) and three adoring grand daughters, Amber, Alexis, and Annalise Bryant all of Santa Cruz, brothers Perry Bryant, Jr., Howard Bryant of Santa Cruz, sister Jeannie Garvin of Medford, Oregon and many nieces and nephews. His young son Mitchell Rene Bryant, his parents Perry Bryant, Sr. and Hazel Neel Bryant, sister Janice Beryl Bryant, preceded him in death. Sam was an amazing man, beloved husband, dad, and papa. He will be greatly missed by his loving family and all that knew him. On Sunday, August 25th a memorial service will be held at Santa Cruz Bible Church, 440 Frederick Street, Santa Cruz, CA at 2 pm. A private family burial with Full Military Honors was held on Friday August 2nd at Oakwood Memorial Park, Pastor Dave Michelson, officiated. In Lieu of Flowers contributions can be made to: Santa Cruz Bible Church, 440 Frederick Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 in Sam's memory or Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #7263 2259 Seventh Ave., Santa Cruz, CA, 95062 in Sam's memory.