HHS
1962


 
Kathy (Johnson) Bryan

Last Revision

 01/26/2021

Location

 Deceased - January 26, 2021  

Email

Personal Website

 www.findagrave.com

Business Website

Photo Website

Birthday

 November 22, 1943

Spouse/Partner

 Steve Bryan

Children

 Karna (1971), Kendra (1973)

Employer

Obit

 Kathryn Ann “Kathy” Bryan, 77, of rural Holdrege, died peacefully at her home, on January 26, 2021, following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born on November 22, 1943 in Holdrege, the younger of two children to C. Lester and Helen (Boschult) Johnson. The family lived on a farm south of Holdrege. She received her elementary education at District #56 and #39. In 6th grade, she attended R-7 school and then attended and graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1962.

Kathy pursued higher education at Kearney State College, joining the Delta Zeta Sorority. In just three years, she graduated with a teaching degree in elementary education in 1965. After graduating, she taught her first year in Minden, Nebraska. She then taught in Holdrege for five years until she decided to raise her family and help on the farm.

On June 4, 1966, she married Steve Bryan at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege. They lived on a farm south of Holdrege and were involved in a farming operation with his parents, Ward and Gloria Bryan at Busy B Ranch. In 1970, they built a home at Busy B and resided and farmed at this location since. Here, three children were born: Craig, Karna and Kendra. Later, their daughter, Kendra and her husband Rob Schmidt joined the farming operation.

She was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, where she was baptized, confirmed, and received a 60 year Methodist member pin. She taught Sunday school, organized Ruth Circle, was wedding coordinator, and served on the funeral committee and various other committees.

Kathy served as former president of Chapter HM P.E.O., past president of AAUW, spent many years leading 4-H clubs, and attended many Bible Study Groups. Kathy also volunteered with Back Pack Blessings.

After her children were born, she continued to teach as a substitute teacher, and later, worked at West Avenue Interiors, sewing window treatments for Roger Tweedy, among other customers and friends. Through late 2020, she also did some sewing of “socks” and waste bags for Becton Dickinson. For many years, she did interior painting with a group of cherished friends, which they called their therapy group. She also continued to help her husband on the farm whenever help was needed.

Kathy loved being outdoors, working in her garden, and doing yard work. She made many decorated birthday cakes for her children, grandchildren and relatives. She loved scrapbooking and made a scrapbook for each of her grandchildren. Kathy enjoyed teaching her children and grandchildren to sew and was proud that her daughter won a trip to San Diego to the National “Make It with Wool Contest.” She enjoyed playing cards and was in the same pinochle group for over 50 years. Kathy was also an avid fan of jig-saw puzzles and worked on these often in the last few years.

Kathy and Steve loved to travel and traveled to Italy once a year, to see their daughter, son-in-law, and three grandsons. In her later years, they went on many cruises with a group of friends, which included trips to Alaska, Canada, Italy, Spain, South America, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Australia and New Zealand. One of her most memorable trips was visiting Iguazu Falls in South America.

Kathy was quiet in nature and enjoyed listening to others. She enjoyed having lunches and outings with her friends and built her life around her children and grandchildren, whom she loved dearly. Kathy wanted to leave this message: “Always be humble and kind, no matter what race or gender you may be.”

She was preceded in death by her parents and parents-in-law; one son, Craig Steven Bryan; and her brother, Keith Johnson.

She leaves to celebrate her life; her devoted husband, Steve Bryan of Holdrege; daughter, Karna Bryan and her husband, Gianfranco Arcieri; and their children: Dario, Giordano, and Marco all of Lexington, Massachusetts; daughter, Kendra Schmidt and her husband, Rob of Holdrege and their daughters: Sydnie Harvey and her husband, Jacob of Lubbock, Texas; and Shelby Schmidt of Holdrege; three sisters-in-law: Joyce Strout and her husband, Dan of Lincoln; Carol Easley and her husband, Jerry of Lincoln; and Delta Mae Johnson of Holdrege; along with numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.