On November 3, 2015 Billie Lou (Jacobs) Bryant passed away after a long battle of chronic pancreatitis and Crohn’s disease; Billie was visited and comforted by her family at her home. Billie was 86 years old.

She was born in Neal, Kansas on November 15, 1928 to Floyd “Jake” and Gladys Jacobs, the fourth daughter of their five children.

Her parents had moved from Osawatomie, KS to Neal, KS to find work and was the only child of their five children to be born away from Osawatomie. As an infant the family moved back to Osawatomie where she grew up and graduated from Osawatomie High School class of 1946.

After graduation she moved to Kansas City, MO until 1948 when she moved back to Osawatomie where she worked at the Osawatomie State Hospital. In November 1948 she met Robert E. Bryant (Bob) and they were married January 28, 1949.

They moved to Manhattan, KS where Bob attended Kansas State University and Billie worked at the campus dairy. When Bob graduated in 1951 they moved to Kansas City, Mo where he was employed with Burns & McDonnell as an architect.

In 1965 Bob, Billie and their three daughters moved to Midland, MI where Bob was employed with Case Engineering at Dow Chemical Co. and Billie was a stay at home mom.

In 1968 the family moved to Wichita, KS where Bob was project architect for Law-Kingdon Co. and Billie was employed at Wichita Public School USD 259 as a paraprofessional in Special Education. Her passion was helping students with learning disabilities.

At the time of her retirement in 1994 she was employed at Northwest High School. After both retiring, they moved back to Osawatomie in 1994 and after Bob’s death in 1998 her health began to worsen. Billie decided to move back to Wichita in 2005 to be close to her daughter Barb who helped with her medical care.

She was active in Girl Scouts, volunteered as lunch room aide at Woodland Elementary in Wichita and she and Bob worked with the youth groups and taught Sunday school at Riverside Christian Church.

Billie was a member of Riverside Christian Church in Wichita and First Christian Church of Osawatomie.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s saying “Live Well, Laugh Much, Love Often “was written with her in mind. She lived life to the fullest even though the last 20 years were spent fighting Crohn’s Disease and subsequently chronic pancreatitis. Her ability to laugh and enjoy life while in pain was due to her love for God since the age of 7. Never frowning but always smiling, she recognized there were others who were fighting worse battles than her. The love she had for her family (including nieces and nephews) and friends were like a well that runs deep. Always putting others before herself was how she lived her life up to the end.

Billie was preceded in death by her husband Bob, parents Floyd and Gladys Jacobs, sisters Margaret Bailey, Mary Smith and brother Floyd Lester “Sonny” Jacobs.

She is survived by her sister: Gertude Vess of Osawatomie, children: Becky Bryant of Wichita, Barb (Al) Tornquist of Collinsville, OK and Betsy Haun of Savannah, GA. Grandchildren: Jeff Bryant, Bryan (Vanessa) Janzing, Brett Janzing-Temple (Andrew) and Monica (Chris) Gossman. Great-grandchildren: Alexia Bryant-Smail; Shelbi, Kolten, and Chyanne Brant; Zoey and Olivia Janzing; Jack, Abby, Danny, Spencer and Luna Gossman.

Pallbearers: Jeff Bryant, Bryan Janzing, Brett Janzing, Al Tornquist, Chris Gossman and Steve Janzing.

VISITATION: 10-11AM FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 2015

SERVICE: 11AM FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 2015

(Both services at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home)

BURIAL: OSAWATOMIE CEMETERY, OSAWATOMIE, KANSAS

MEMORIAL: RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
1001 N. Litchfield Ave.
Wichita, KS 67203

A Celebration of life service and visitation will be held at 11am Monday, Nov. 9, 2015 at the Riverside Christian Church, 1001 N. Litchfield Ave. Wichita, KS 67203.