James Eugene Bryant

Gene was born over the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27, 1922 to Benjamin and Caroline Bryant in Alton, Illinois. He was the tenth of eleven children born into a loving and active family.

Gene was attending Texas A&M University when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He and four of his brothers immediately enlisted in the U.S. military. Gene was accepted for officer candidate training in the US Army Air Corps. After 18 months of flight training in Texas and Florida, he and his unit were transported to India, where Gene was issued a P-51 Mustang, which he flew over “The Hump” (the Himalayas) to join the Flying Tigers fighting the Japanese army in China.

Following the war, Gene and his four brothers returned to the U.S. Gene continued his college career, during which he met his best friend’s cousin, Dorothy Lamm. He proposed to Dorothy on Valentine’s Day in 1947, and they were married in June of that year.

In nearly 72 years of marriage, Gene and Dorothy had two children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Gene had a successful career with Armour-Dial, which led him and his family to New Orleans in the early 1960’s.

Gene was beloved by all who knew him for his humility, his gentleness, and his devotion to family. After retirement, Gene discovered a passion for golf that led to many wonderful friendships in Tchefuncta Country Club’s “R.O.B.s”. He liked to joke that he was the only golfer who never improved with decades of practice, although those who played with him might disagree.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Lamm Bryant, his brother, William Bryant, his treasured children, Barbara “Babs” Johnson (Richard), and James Eugene Bryant, Jr. (Lynn), his adoring grandchildren, Katie Arner (Chris), Emily Durant (Devon), John Kimble (Adam Banks), Ashley Bryant, Ben Bryant, step-granddaughter Nina Magnesson, and great-grandchildren Weldon Arner, Graham Arner, Blaire Durant, Maya Durant, August Durant, and Adrian Banks.

Like many of his greatest generation, he was a man of tremendous unspoken courage and humility. He will be remembered as a hero and a consummate gentleman who dutifully served his country without ceremony. He will be deeply missed.

A private reception will be held at the family home in New Orleans. In lieu of flowers, donations in Gene’s honor may be sent to Lighthouse Louisiana, 123 State St. New Orleans, LA 70118, and the World War II Museum, 945 Magazine St. New Orleans, LA 70130.