John J. Bryant Iii

John J. Bryant III Departed this earthly existence for the next world on May 9th at age 94. John, who never married, will reunite with his Parents, Henry and Margaret Bryant, who preceded him in 1979 and 1998, and joins his older brother Henry, Jr. (Enrique) who preceded him in April of 2010, and his sister Mardi, who passed away in June of 2015. Remaining in this life are his younger brother, Charles Brate and youngest brother, Anthony Wayne both of Waukesha.

John attended high school at Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, Tennessee. He started college at the University of Wisconsin, Madison when World War II broke out. He then served in the U.S. Army in France for the balance of the war in the Signal Corps. Following the war’s conclusion, he briefly attended Cornell University in the College of Architecture before concluding that the world of work was more to his liking. He started in Buffalo, New York with Curtiss Wright Aircraft Company but soon relocated to the Detroit area where he had friends and relatives. While there he worked for several employers including the Chrysler Corporation. In 1958, he moved to the Chicago area where he had several jobs before connecting with Chicago Bridge and Iron Co. Upon retiring he became the principal caregiver to his mother, Margaret, and lived with her, primarily in the winter months in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. At other times, he resided in his home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. More recently he moved back to Delafield, Wisconsin where he shared a home with his nephew, Nathan Bryant and grand-nephew Caleb Bryant. John also spent many years as an owner and director of Century Fence until he ultimately sold to his brother, Anthony. Interment will take place next to his parents at Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha. Funeral services will be private.

John leaves behind nephews and nieces that have been especially close, Nathan and Tim Bryant, Holly Rathkamp and Heidi Von Hagke; also Trip Jones and Robin Jones McGowan in the Dallas area. John also loved his six other nieces from the Anthony Bryant family: Autumn Powell, Noelle Bryant-Nanz, Renee Bryant Valvasori, Hilary Bryant, Sabrina Bryant and Heather Bryant. Four nephews in France, whose father was Enrique, were Manuel, Andres, Francois and Tanguy, whom he met for the first time several years ago. He also cared for the many spouses and children of his next of kin. John will be remembered with fondness by all. A family gathering will be held at Early Hill in the near future to celebrate his life that began there in 1922.