William Frederick Bryant, “Bo Sox Bill” of Henderson, Nevada, beloved father, grandfather, brother, cousin, family member and friend to many now deeply broken hearted people passed away suddenly on Thursday, February 20th at 7:07 PM at Sunrise Hospital with family present. He was born in Littleton, New Hampshire on January 1st, a birthday he shared with his mother, in 1933. He graduated from Newport High School in Newport, New Hampshire where he was captain of the cross country team, and graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor’s Degree in Government. He was an enlisted member of the USAF and joined as soon as he graduated from college so he could serve his country and see the world. He traveled all over the country and world with his wife Edna and children Graham and Karen. They were stationed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Dayton, Ohio; and London, England for an extended time which is where he first met his wife and where both his children were born. While his family was based in London he worked out of several UK bases including South Ruislip, Lakenheath, Upper Heyford and Ipswich. He flew many solo missions to all parts of the world including Libya, Spain, Midway Island, Vietnam (which he hid from his family so they wouldn’t worry) and Thailand. He also traveled extensively around the world as a civilian with his wife traveling all over Europe and later regularly visited the UK to see his daughter Karen in London. He retired from the USAF in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, worked as a supervisor at Data General and then at the Kittery Navy Yard in Maine before moving out to Henderson, Nevada with his elderly mother in 2000 to be nearer to family. He looked after her until she passed the following year and then he became a regular fixture with his buddies at the Sunset Station sports book, and Barley's where they would regularly gather, watch sports and have fun. He loved watching football and baseball, especially the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox and was so happy to see the Sox win another world series last year. He was so knowledgeable he was like an “encyclopedia of sports” and often gave his buddies tips even though he rarely bet himself. He loved the seacoast of Maine, where his family used to vacation at York Beach in the summers, and Boston where he would go to see his beloved Red Sox at Fenway Park, the White Mountains of New Hampshire where he would go to visit relatives, and London, England which was his favorite place outside the US. He loved eating traditional New England seafood, clam chowder and “American chop suey” which was his favorite dish that his family made for him and Indian curry, which Edna introduced him to and became one of his favorite foods, especially chicken tikka masala. He loved Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and John Denver’s “Country Roads” was his favorite song but he also liked Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” which was a surprise to his daughter. He cared deeply about his country and was politically active and liked to watch the history channel and Fox News and listened to a wide range of opinions. He loved his family more than any human being could ever hope for and would do anything to help us. He was an amazing father, family member and friend and his generosity, thoughtfulness and kindness were in a league of their own. None of us can fathom a world without him in it and in the words of his cousin Dave Learned “I am more upset with Cousin Bo Sox Bill than anyone I have lost…you can bet that he will be with the best of the best in the afterlife.” He was preceded in death by his father William L. Bryant of Newport , New Hampshire; his mother Theda L. Bryant of Henderson, Nevada; and his former wife and dear friend of 55 years Edna M. Kenyon of Henderson, Nevada. He is survived by his daughter Karen Smee and husband David of Henderson, Nevada; son Graham Bryant and partner Beth of Winter Park, Florida; grandson Christopher Bryant and wife Cheryl of Henderson, Nevada; sister Ann Boydston and her husband Chris of Boulder, Colorado and several cousins and extended family. A visitation will be held at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89123, on Wednesday, February 26th, from 4-6 pm. Funeral services will be at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans’ Memorial Drive, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 at 10:40 am on Thursday, February 27th with burial to follow with full military honors. All friends of Bill and his family are welcome to both.
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