Mrs. Sarah Louise Bryan, age 81, of Murray, Kentucky, passed away Friday, September 27, 2024, at Charter Assisted Senior Living in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
Mrs. Bryan was born March 31, 1943, in Frankfort, Kentucky to the late Issac Marion Thacker II and Alice Lee Thacker. In addition, she was preceded in death by siblings Marion Thacker III, Steve Thacker, and Lucy Williams; granddaughter, Emma Rae Bryan; and family friends Ed and Mary Watson and Bob McGaughey.
As we, her children, consider our childhood we now realize that our normal, average experience was far from that. We were blessed in so many ways.
We had a mom and dad who openly hugged and kissed. We grew up with sprigs of mint in tea, starched pillowcases, fresh flowers, roast beef on Sundays, and matching handmade outfits on Easter. Our mom had an appreciation of beauty, usually found in the old and antique, sometimes plain and sometimes ornate, often hand made. There were certain things that were constant, the thrill of finding a piece of walnut furniture that needed to be refinished, large ornate mirrors, antique baskets, copper pots, English ironstone, and pretty glasses. You always had to have a pretty glass.
Our mom adored her husband from the moment they met, when she was in seventh grade. She loved to tell the story that after that day she decided to put away her dolls. Mom married dad at 18 and soon became a mom at 19. When the first of seven grandchildren arrived, she was 42 and once again was excited to play with dolls, this time real ones!
Mom loved to talk. You could tell her anything. She just wanted you to grab a glass of tea and come sit in the sunroom and tell her what was going on.
She was mischievous, but appropriate. Beautiful, but humble, creative but classic. Unassuming but slightly high maintenance. Nonjudgmental and empathetic. Fierce about injustice, especially when it came to children, all children.
Her bold spirit was beyond her generation. Raised in a time of tradition and order, but her boldness sat a bit crooked of those standards. She found value in other things. The cake could be crooked as long as the party was fun.
Our mom passed peacefully away after a battle with dementia.
Survivors include her husband, Phil Bryan of Murray, Kentucky, they married on December 21, 1961, in Frankfort, Kentucky; two daughters, Lucy Lee Bryan McClure and husband Mark of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Amy Louise Bryan Watson and husband Derrick of Hopkinsville, Kentucky; one son, Benjamin Phillip Bryan III and wife Nicole of Kuttawa, Kentucky; Seven grandchildren, Drew McClure and wife Robyn, Shelby Barth and husband Cameron, Aaron Watson and wife Andrea, Clay Bryan and wife Chaelim, Sarah Kate Francis and husband John Morgan, Lucy Bryan, and Anna Watson; Seven great-grandchildren, Graham Watson, Reid McClure, Mae Barth, Gatlin Watson, Georgia Barth, Grady Watson, and Cellars Bryan.
A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday October 1, 2024, at The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services. John Dale will officiate. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Tuesday October 1, 2024, at The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jo Curris, Betty Brockway, Jackie Harrison, Margret Trevathan, Sandra Dee Cavins, Jan Basil and Faye Hatfield.
Expressions of sympathy can be made to MSU Foundation Phil and Sarah Bryan Leadership Scholarship. Murray State University Office of Development 200 Heritage Hall Murray, KY 42072 murraystate.edu/giving.
Online condolences can be left at www.jhchurchill.com
J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services are in charge of arrangements.
Murray
| Mar. 31, 1943 | Sep. 27, 2024
The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home and Cremation Services
201 South Third Street
Murray, Kentucky 42071
Email : jhchurchill@yahoo.com
Phone : 270-753-2411
Murray, Kentucky 42071