Emily Bryant Ponder

Emily was preceded in death by her parents Russell E. and Marjoree R. Bryant.

She is survived by her husband, Paul S. Ponder; son, Hayden S. Ponder; and daughter, Claire K. Ponder.

She is also survived by her brother, Douglas E. Bryant and wife Rebecca, of Fort Worth, Texas; her brother, Thomas R. Bryant and wife Carolyn, of Austin, Texas; and five nephews, Randall, Peyton, Jeffrey, William, and Benjamin.

Emily was born in Houma, Louisiana on November 18, 1961 and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. She graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans in 1979 and Texas Christian University in Fort Worth in 1983. Upon graduation, she joined the Dallas, Texas office of KPMG, had a highly successful tax career, and rose to the level of Senior Manager before joining one of her significant banking clients. Emily was a licensed CPA in the state of Texas.

Emily’s love of her family and her kindness towards others was truly remarkable. Her greatest joy was being a mother to her son Hayden and daughter Claire. She provided them with a loving Christ-centered home and delighted in their love of God. Emily’s mother, a church organist and piano teacher, and her father inspired a strong love of music within their family and Emily passed her passion for choral music and piano onto Hayden and Claire.

Emily, Paul, Hayden, and Claire are thankful for the support Emily received during her two-and-a-half-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Our immediate and extended family, our church family at Park Cities Presbyterian Church of Dallas, our neighbors and friends, and the excellent medical team at Texas Oncology ministered to us throughout.

Nahum 1:7 - The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.