~ IN MEMORY ~
LTC (ret.) Robert H. Bryant III
DL F/O Robert Harold Bryant III
August 19, 1974
~ August 3, 2024
As
noted in the October issue of the Air Line Pilot magazine’s In Memoriam column,
the passing of Delta Air Lines pilot F/O Robert H. Bryant III, age 49. Bob joined Delta 04-11-2016. He is survived by his wife, his children,
and his parents as well as his siblings.
Obituary information can be found online at
https://www.mowells.com/obituaries/Robert-Harold-Bryant-III?obId=32596460
Robert Harold Bryant, III Obituary
LTC (ret.) Robert H. Bryant III
A humble pilot (a rarity in this world), tender
husband, loving father, steadfast friend, and consummate professional as a
colleague…Bob believed in faith, family, and flying. Guided by his Christian
witness, based upon his quiet, rocklike faith, and grounded in the community of
the Roman Catholic Church, Bob would want us to focus on God and not on
himself. Granted, one cannot sum up Bob’s life in a couple of paragraphs, but,
since his life inspired us to be better spouses, better siblings, better parents,
and better friends, we should recognize it when a great man has walked amongst
us.
If winning is sitting at a dinner table surrounded
by your children…if winning is positively influencing not just your immediate
relatives but your extended family, in-laws, friends, subordinates, and
leaders…if winning is not just talking about making the difficult choices in
life but having the virtue to choose them and live with the consequences, then
Robert Bryant lived and died a winner.
Bob faced his cancer diagnosis with humility and
faithfulness while teaching us the importance of finishing strong. He could
have been bitter knowing that he is one of the growing yet oft forgotten number
of combat veterans who die, not from their immediate wounds, but from the
exposure to the carcinogens found throughout the modern battlefield. Instead,
he saw his remaining time as a gift to share with his friends and family.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri on August 19, 1974,
the son of Robert H. Bryant, Jr. and Rita Bryant, at ten years old, after
visiting an Air Force Museum, Bob knew he wanted to fly F15Es. Commissioned on
May 29, 1996, upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy, Bob
pursued a career which saw him fly 154 combat sorties in Iraq and Afghanistan
with over 757 combat hours. Testimonials to his leadership, compassion, and
courage have poured in from his former teammates across the globe.
What mattered most to Bob was the life he built
with his wife, Melissa, and their five children: Rebecca, Rachel, Erica, Neave,
and John. People knew they were at the Bryants when they heard the infectious
laughter, the good-natured humor, and saw the calm, nurturing presence that Bob
provided to his whole family. One of the highlights of this past year was
officially welcoming their son-in-law, Logan Douglas, into the family at Rachel
and Logan’s wedding last summer.
Melissa and Bob were especially appreciative of
the help and care that Uncle Mark and Aunt Roxanne Mikesch provided Bob as he
struggled with the side-effects of the cancer and its treatment. Mark and
Roxanne’s daily presence eased the stress that came with fighting the disease.
Robert H. Bryant III leaves behind his wife,
children, and parents as well as his siblings: Dr Jennifer Colombo (Philip),
Mark Bryant (Mary), Kelly Conner (Micah), Katherine Slinkard (William),
Samantha Whitehill (Ian), and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles,
and friends. The Bryant family wants to thank all of you for your prayers, your
presence during the trials that came with a terminal illness, and your
continued influence in their lives.
Robert H. Bryant III, requiescat in pace, you have
touched the face of God.
The Bryant Family requests that, in lieu of
flowers, you please donate to the HunterSeven Foundation.
https://hunterseven.org
A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 AM on
Monday, August 12, 2024 at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church, Jonesboro. The family will receive friends from
5:00-7:00 PM on Sunday, August 11, 2024 at Mowell Funeral Home,
Fayetteville. A graveside service will
be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, August 16, 2024 at ISAFA Cemetery in Colorado
Springs, Colorado.
We welcome you to provide your condolences,
thoughts, and memories on our Tribute Wall.
Mowell Funeral Home & Cremation Service,
Fayetteville, www.mowells.com
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https://www.jbsa.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2001266720/
San Antonio, tx - Lt. Col. Robert H. Bryant III
is the Commander of the 559th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San
Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The "Fighting' Billygoats" of the 559th
Flying Training Squadron provide T-6A Pilot Instructor Training for Joint
Primary Pilot Training and Combat System Officer training at Naval Air Station
Pensacola, Fla. The squadron flies more than 16,000 hours in a fleet of 40 T-6A
aircraft and qualifies more than 230 U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine and allied
pilots annually.
……………
PCN memorial site