Keina Marie Bryant

The Woman, the wife, the mother…

On November 12, 1972, Richard and Bridget Nash were graced with a blessing from the Lord with the birth of Keina Marie. Keina received her early education through the Parochial School system in Detroit, MI and Cinnaminson Middle School in Cinnaminson, N.J. The family later moved from New Jersey to Chesterfield, Mo. Keina graduated from Lafayette High School in 1991.

Keina accepted Christ at an early age, and she carried that spirit all of her life. She continued her journey with Christ within FBCC serving in the youth choir, usher board and other areas of worship. She received her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Missouri Baptist University, St. Louis, Missouri.

Keina was a hard worker with a great personality and a big heart. She had a smile that would brighten any room she stepped into and a calm that could ease the tension on a battlefield, if needed. Keina was very witty and very steadfast in her no-nonsense approach to how she expressed her feelings about anything, also with a bit of flare for the dramatic. These characteristics landed her a career spanning 25-years with Citibank Corp and most recently, U.S. Bank in their credit fraud and mortgage lending departments.

In 1992, during her college years she met the love of her life, Larry Bryant, Jr., and they cultivated a friendship that would endure and evolve into a lifelong bond. This bond gave birth, to a love that was not to be denied its place, despite all its opponents.

On October 16, 1999, Keina Marie and Larry Bryant, Jr. were joined in Holy Matrimony. From that moment, the two would share a life of love, passion, struggle, comedy, and travel. Keina loved Larry with boundless energy, and he loved her the same. Keina gave birth to the true love of her life, Elle Marie (her mini me), in 2006. In truest Keina fashion, she demonstrated that she would give her life to birth another as her health attempted to steal her away from that very life she craved to create. She knew she was born to be the best mother to her child as she practiced it in the raising of her brother, Chris, as his second mom.

Keina loved to travel, beginning with their honeymoon in Tahiti, family cruises to the Bahamas, Belize, Honduras, Cozumel, and Cayman Islands. Keina was the defacto family travel coordinator, organizing girls’ trips with friends, and many trips to Disneyworld and Disneyland with her daughter and nieces.

Keina is survived by her husband Larry, their daughter Elle Marie, her parents Richard and Bridget Nash, her mother-in-law Nancy Bryant (father-in-law Larry Sr. preceded her in death), Grandmother Oceaola Hatcher, her brother Christopher Nash (Reanne), sister-in-law Yolanda Burnett (Tiger), niece Ariele Burnett, bonus nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, cousins and bonus family and friends.

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Babe you’ve got some explaining to do. I’ve always said your sense of timing was off. I disagree with you on our definitions of forever. I guess we’ll settle up on that one in our next life. We’ll do it even better in that life as we have always done in our past lives. You brought out the best in me and inspired me to want to be a better friend, better man, husband, father, provider, caretaker, and companion. Ride or die, well, I can say you are a lady of your word. I never thought I was worthy of such a love as yours, but I’d die every day for the opportunity to earn it and keep it. You loved me through my mistakes and all my shortcomings with no hesitation and I am so grateful for that grace within you. Your heart was too great to contain for just one to share, so we sit here one more time to bask in its radiance that now shines so brightly on our amazing daughter. What you’ve given us is a will when it won’t; a can when it shouldn’t; and a light to guide us in a world of darkness. I’ve been comforted in the drape of your love for so long that the thought of existing in a world without it seems like one with a lot less color; but your deposits into our child have restored the HD in a very Technicolor world. I have always been the ash to your Phoenix or the wind in your wings. I’ll carry you in my heart until my last breath is drawn and dream of your loving embrace from dusk ‘til dawn. When my journey is complete and our work be done, we will be together again as so our story is written. I will love you forever as mine endures

-Larry Bryant-

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Dear Keina,

When you were born, we loved you from the moment you came into the world.

As your parents, we were blessed and honored to raise you.

You were the first grandchild, so it was a tug of war for your affection.

Your Aunts Cheri, Bonnie, Midge, Vickie, Rita and Gwen, all viewed you as their baby to raise, and your uncles Fletcher, Mario, Bruce, Brian, and Darren, all viewed you as a baby sister to play with and protect.

But you were daddy’s girl from the very start. We spent lots of time running errands, gardening, doing administrative duties then wrapping up the day with a visit to McDonald’s and a movie.

You were always very dependable, and trustworthy. We could always rely on you.

As Chris matured and found the love of his life Reanne, you were the first to welcome her to the family,

Keina, during your time here on earth you touched so many lives.

“When we get together, and we call out your name, we let you know you didn’t live your life in vain.” Amen

~Richard & Bridget Nash~

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“Sayings” to my sister Keina.

“Those we love don’t go away; they walk beside us every day.”

“Those we love can never be more than a thought away, for as long as there’s a memory, they live in our hearts to stay.”

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal”.

“We thought of you in love today, but that is nothing new. We thought about you yesterday and days before that too. We think of you in silence, we often speak your name. Now, all we have is memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is our keepsake, with which we’ll never part. God has you in His keeping, we have you in our hearts.”

“Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.”

Love: Chris & Reanne

~Christopher Nash~

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Keina, you have a beautiful smile and laugh. We spent quality and quantity time together. Our most fun time was when she was helping me to program my electrical devices. We laughed through my crazy attempts and failures. She saved the day and did the programming without my help. As a Mother/Daughter- N- Love, we had a great relationship. I will miss you.

~Nancy Bryant~

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To my niece Keina,

I will never forget the summer of 2022 when you and your family came to Detroit to spend the weekend with grandma and I. Then seeing you a few months again at the wedding; who knew that would be the last time. I will always cherish our time together.

I love you and will miss you immensely.

Love, your Aunt Rita

~Rita, Amber, Arthur, & Grandmom~

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My Aunt Keina was an extraordinary person who deeply cared for others. Together, I felt happy that we could laugh, gossip, and talk about our favorite movies/TV shows with each other. She has always been there for my important milestones, and nothing like living in two different states would ever stop that. I’m going to miss that she was always a key part of my summer vacation every time I came back to St. Louis, ensuring that we would always have fun and exciting adventures. No words can express how deeply I miss my Aunt Keina. I’m very blessed and grateful that she was my aunt who was loving, caring, full of adventure, and a provider of great hugs! I will hold you in my heart forever until we are reunited again sometime. Rest in peace.

~Ariele~

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To My Sister, and you are My SISTER in every sense of the word.

I saw what I know and cultivated in my brother to be your devoted husband. So, you know I was critical from Day One, cause don’t nobody mess over Brotha (Insider)! My overbearing eye was on you, but you wore me down!! My brother’s happiness means the world to me, you were his world and he adored you. Because of this, you became my sister, and I am so blessed to have you. You are part of my moral compass because you know my humor can be quite dark & cynical. It was here that we bonded because you GET ME! Who else is going to be on Facebook reprimanding me when I ALMOST cross the line? Guess I must behave… for now I’ll miss you forever. I could say, but you know my heart. What is understood doesn’t have to be said. But we will keep it true to us. Just know, I asked for a particular musical selection to be played as the acknowledgements were read, but it was vetoed. You would have appreciated it. It was a little ditty by my favorite, Prince… Love symbol Album, track 2. I won’t say good-bye, I’ll say until we meet again.

Your Sister Forever,

~Londa~

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Shalom Keina,

May her memory be a blessing.

I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for being an unwavering and inspiring example of a Proverbs 31 woman, wife, and mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Your life has been a shining testament to the qualities of grace, strength, and devotion that this passage extols, and your legacy will forever be etched in my heart.

As your sister, I've had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredible love, kindness, and unwavering faith that you brought into our family and the lives of those around you. Your grace under pressure, your dedication to your family, and your deep-rooted faith have left an indelible mark on all of us.

Your commitment to being a loving wife and mother has been nothing short of exceptional. You created a home filled with love, warmth, and hospitality, where family and friends were always welcomed with open arms. Your child is a testament to your nurturing spirit and the incredible mother that you are.

I want to make you a promise, dear sister. I will stand in the memory of your extraordinary life, values, and the legacy you leave behind for your daughter and for all of us. Your example will continue to guide me in my own journey, reminding me of the strength, kindness, and faith that you embodied.

I will be there to support and nurture your daughter, just as you did for her. I'll share stories of your love, your wisdom, and your incredible spirit so that she never forgets the remarkable woman and mother that you were.

Your legacy lives on in all of us, and I will carry it with me until the end of my days. Your memory will forever be a guiding light, reminding me of the virtuous woman that you were, and inspiring me to strive for those same virtues in my own life.

Thank you, dear sister, for the gift of your love, your example, and your enduring presence in our lives. You will always hold a special place in our hearts. With all my love and gratitude,

Your sister in Christ,

~Theresa~

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The Bryant Family would like to express our deepest appreciation when you spoke a kind word or sent a special note, or for any kind gestures that you did. Thank you for praying for us and with us. Please continue to pray for our strength in the Lord.