RSS Feed
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Local leader, Jimmy O'Bryant passes at 69
O'Bryant was the owner of O'Bryant Chapel Funeral Home in Thomasville; served as a funeral director for 45 years, and he served as a pastor to several Methodist Churches in the area for a number of years. In 2006, he was named grand marshal of Thomasville's Christmas parade. "He was a man of character and integrity in the service he gave to this community," said Phil Craddock, pastor of Thomasville United Methodist Church. "As a funeral director, he had a compassion about him beyond his professionalism. It came from a deep spiritual commitment of his own." In addition to his duties at the funeral home, O'Bryant found the time to minister to three different churches in the area. At one time, he was preaching at two at the same time, at Bashi United Methodist and Creel's Chapel United Methodist. The congregations would schedule their services so O'Bryant to make it to both churches on Sunday mornings. "We were truly blessed to have him as pastor for 10 years," said Bashi United Methodist member Dorine Hawk. "He was so full of love and joy. Our hearts go out to the family." John Harrison, a member at Creel's Chapel, said, "he was as good a friend as you could want to have. Even when he was very sick, he couldn't say no to someone." O'Bryant also ministered at Lower Peachtree once per month. Not one to draw attention to himself, O'Bryant kept quiet about his civic deeds. "My father believed that if you gave someone something, no should know about it, and you shouldn't expect something out of it, because you gave it," he told the Times during an interview last year. O'Bryant employee Darlene Glass fought back tears to give a comment about her boss. "He was not just a boss, but a friend to me and my family. He was a very special person. Words can't express what he meant to us all." During the later years of his life O'Bryant struggled with health problems, but didn't complain. In his interview last year, O'Bryant recalled his early struggles with the business. "Struggle is part of the maturing process in life," he said. "Someone who has never struggled can't empathize with his fellow man."
He is survived by his wife Juanita, sons Jim and Jeff O'Bryant, daughter Mary Carol Clayton, sister Geraldine O. Peek, 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
|
for larger version       Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
)
