Michael Andrew Bryant

Michael Andrew Bryant died unexpectedly and without suffering on Sunday, June 5, 2022 at his home in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 73 years old. His greatest source of joy was the strength of the relationships he built over his life with family and friends.

Michael graduated from Englewood High School in Jacksonville in 1966, and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Florida.

Following his four years of active duty service in the United States Air Force and an honorable discharge, Mike began what would become a fifty year career in the landscaping, irrigation, and nursery industry. Over that time, he completed numerous retail and commercial projects, landscaping many well-known restaurants and public areas in the Northeast Florida area.

Service was important to Mike. In addition to his service to his nation in the Air Force, he was also active in the Jacksonville Jaycees for several years. Later, he was active in the Indian Princesses organization with his daughter Kourtney. Additionally, Mike was an Assistant Scoutmaster with Boy Scout Troop 333 when his sons Luke and Matt were Scouts.

Mike stayed busy in his private life. His greatest passion was fishing, and it didn’t matter if it was fresh- or salt-water, in-shore or 50 miles out at the Gulf Stream, all it took to make him happy was a calm morning, glassy water, and a line in the water. He shared his passion for the water with his friends and family, and was also a wonderful and patient teacher of the art to anyone who wanted to learn. There are many residents of northeast Florida who have a love of the water that was in large part kindled by Mike.

He was a citizen of the world, and throughout his life he traveled to Turkey, Greece, Australia and the South Pacific. The last

twenty years, he and his longtime partner Nancy traveled mostly domestically on a frequent basis, with their favorite recurring trips being to Colorado and Texas.

In the 80’s and 90’s, Mike was a recurring personality on the Power 95 morning radio show, appearing weekly under the moniker “The Mayor of Bayard”. His “interview” was a chance phone call to show-lead Hoyle Dempsey which led to the two of them becoming lifelong friends.

His parents Archie and Ethel predeceased their youngest child. Michael is survived by his brother Jerry Bryant (wife Karen) and sister Janet Bryant Young (husband Paul), his partner of the last twenty years Nancy Chastain, his former wife of twenty-seven years Kya, and his three adult children, Lucas (wife Crystal), Kourtney and Matthew. The pride and joy of his last few years was Selah Grace Henderson, who he met by chance while Selah and her parents Michelle and Brandon were traveling to Jacksonville for a pediatric cancer treatment.

A Celebration of Life service for Michael will be held Thursday evening, June 16, 2022, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Fraternal Order of Police Hall at 5530 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL, 32207. All are welcome. Please dress comfortably; formal dress is not expected. Mike wished for his ashes to be interned in the National Cemetery on the north side of Jacksonville, and this wish will be honored later at a private ceremony.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgmandarin.com for the Bryant family.