Gerald Bryan's Obituary
Gerald Bryan, 61, of Camanche, died Monday, February 9, 2009, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in Iowa City, Iowa. Funeral services will be 9:00 AM, Friday, February 13, 2009, at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Camanche, with Dr. Donald Batz officiating. Serving as pallbearers will be Willard Larsen, Ed Hupfer, Ron Emerson, Curt Weispfenning, Chris Turner, and Doug Orte. Due to Gerry's desire to be buried at the Iowa Veteran's Cemetery in Adel, Iowa, there will not be a luncheon following the services. Visitation will be from 4:00 - 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 12, at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Home and Crematory. Gerald Ross Bryan was born on April 19, 1947, in Winnipeg, Canada, the son of Orville and Betty (Jackson) Bryan. He and Patricia Etzen were united in marriage on June 4, 1977, in Ames, Iowa. After graduating from Martinsville High School in Indiana in 1965, Gerry joined the United States Air Force and served from 1965 to 1968, including a year in Vietnam as a sentry dog handler. Following his discharge from the Air Force, he attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where he earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education. From 1975 until his retirement in 2005, Gerry was a Special Education teacher at Camanche Middle School. During those years he worked with the CEA to provide a better education environment, becoming a "go-to" guy with questions regarding contractual issues. Prior to teaching in Camanche, he taught in Canton, South Dakota, and Mediapolis, Iowa. As a member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Gerry participated in the choir and was currently serving as a trustee. In his free time, he enjoyed reading, metal detecting, watching and discussing sports, and collecting Boy Scout knives, an outcome of his youth when he achieved the Eagle Scout Award. Gerry is survived by his wife, Pat; his son Benjamin Bryan, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; his daughter LauraJo Bryan, of Clinton; his son Joshua Bryan, of Portland, Oregon; his two brothers Gordon Bryan, of Scotland, and Garry Bryan, of Mesa, Arizona. When he and Pat married, her family realized what a kind, loving person Gerry was and he immediately became a sibling in her family as well. He will be greatly missed by Ann Etzen, Lois and Charles Phelps, Millie and Fred Robinson, Phyllis and Gary Scheeler, and all their children. He was preceded in death by his parents and Pat's father. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Mark's United Methodist Church.
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