Jeffrey M. Bryant

Jeffrey Marshall Bryant, 47, passed away May 1, 2020 in Phoenix, AZ. He was born March 3, 1973 in Montclair, NJ. He was predeceased by his father, James Raymond Bryant, and the love of his life, Angelique Green. He is survived by his Mother, Mary Elizabeth Bryant, his sister, Karen Stacey DiNardi (John), and his aunts, uncle, and cousins. Jeff attended St. Peters Prep High School, in Jersey City, NJ. During his senior year, he was captain of the Swim Team. His favorite event was the 200 individual Medley. In 1991, he was accepted to and attended Purdue University, his father, mother and sister's alma mater. His course study was Electrical Engineering. In 2001, Jeff moved to Phoenix and attended MMI. He graduated from MMI in 2003 and soon found his passion for repairing motorcycles.

There will be services for Jeff at Phoenix Memorial Park on May 24, 2020 at 11:00 AM.

In memory of Jeffrey, memorial donations can be made to the Mayday Pit Bull Rescue & Advocacy or to the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Society.

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The following is a transcript of Jeff's Memorial Service

Jeffrey M. Bryant

March 3, 1973 – May 1, 2020

The Art of Excellence

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit." --Aristotle

From the stories that are shared today - you will hear a central theme of Excellence and the way it has been lived and expressed and music, not just words, but depth to express feeling.

We will open in prayer, in gratitude to the maker of this world that he would bring Jeffrey Marshall Bryant to enrich and influence many lives.

Let us bow our heads:

"Sovereign Lord, thank you for this time today, to come together and pay tribute to this beautiful sole. A man of excellence, who knew of a faith and had respect for you, and knew that he didn’t have to find You in a church building but in the life he lived and those he brought to walk alongside him, thank you for being the church in him that went out into the world portraying your excellence, Your standards and a love for people. Amen."

Welcome, my name is Allene Cebe and I’m honored to be with you today as your Funeral Celebrant. This is such an important day as we have gathered to acknowledge the death, to pay respect to, and celebrate the character of Jeff and the ways he impacted this world.

We embrace the family today; his mother Mary Beth, his sister Karen and his aunts, uncles and cousins. Our condolences go out to all of you here, Jeff’s extended family of friends. May our presence and words today become memories that will strengthen and provide peace and comfort, and joy of a life well lived.

Thank you for being here today. It is a sign of respect for how Jeff made a difference in your life, taking your time to stop and honor his distinctive place on this earth.

Whatever our art is in life, we are born with it. However, to bring our art out to the world to see, purchase and experience, we must work on it, we have to spend time improving on it, exploring where we are meant to focus, and live it out.

It is who we are. It is a gift that we choose to give, to bless the world, keep it to ourselves, or use it against our fellow humans

Jeff’s art and gift was excellence, and he did it well and choose to bless the world, starting at birth.

Jeffrey Marshall Bryant came into this world with an excellent name, meaning God’s divine peace, the lucky number associated with this name is the number 3, and was his favorite number, he was born on March 3rd, 1973, at 3:33 am.

From the time he was born, before he was even aware of it, he was performing his art; it flowed through his blood.

Natural born singers, natural born artists start drawing and singing at a young age, their gifts are boldly recognized. Jeff started at potty training, he was going to do this himself, he had pride within, a confidence and boldness to be excellent. He brazenly told his mom, “I will do this myself.” He didn’t heed her advice to hold his shirt up, and yet acknowledging error in his ways, proclaimed “I didn’t do it right mommy,” but surely he learned from that and took it to the next step of excellence, to potty on the toilet, and you can bet that he lifted his shirt every time after that; he was a quick learner.

It isn’t a surprise that he liked the color black that is associated with power, fear, mystery, strength, authority, elegance, formality, authority, and sophistication. And, black is required for all other colors to have depth and variation of tone.

Jeff had his own way of practicing his art of excellence, a little tidbit discovered just a few weeks ago. Jeff didn’t belong to the world of social media, he utilized the world wide web as a means to seek out new heights and new levels by watching videos, and used his smart phone to take simple pictures of things, for the view of how he wanted his improvements to look that would enhance his art, his gift and his life.

In life, experiences typically shape us. But Jeff saw life differently, he shaped his experiences.

Jeff put his sights in a direction and didn’t take them off.

He chose schools he would go to based on their excellence and where he could be his best among other excellent people. Jeff knew he wanted to go to St Peters Prep High School, an all boys school, for it had the finest swim team. Although it was all boys, Jeff knew he wanted the best coach for this, his mother Mary Beth. He convinced her, and the school to bring her on letting them both know she was highly qualified to lead the team. He knew how to build a team that would enhance how he wanted his life. He also let her know, “you’re not my mom at swimming.” He could have gotten in good on who he knew, but he always chose the high road, making a name for himself, taking the most excellent path.

We see this high road with being the younger child, Jeff was considerate of his older sister Karen, not trying to take the lime light from her being the first born, but making his own position known.

Jeff swam the 500 meter freestyle, 200 yard freestyle, but his favorite, again striving for a higher level, was the 200 Individual Melody, a combination of four different strokes, the butterfly, breath stroke, back stroke and freestyle.

Excellence was in his bloodline. In 1991, he was accepted to and attended Purdue University, his late father, mother and sister's alma mater. His course study was Electrical Engineering.

In 2001 Jeff packed up all he had and all he was and headed to Arizona to go to MMI, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and it is there that he found his passion for repairing motorcycles. We will pause to listen to one of his favorite songs, 'Home Sweet Home' by Motley Crüe. It foretells of this new chapter he was going to, and a world he would create for himself, heading into a new place with no family. He wasn’t afraid to dream of a new home.

(play 'Home Sweet Home' by Motley Crüe)

It shouldn’t astonish anyone that Jeff chose to be a Master Technician with a company that is highly respected not only for its name but its motorcycle. You hear the name master and know it is the best, you hear Harley Davidson and know it is of the finest, both having highly regarded reputations.

Just as Jeff didn’t want to be a part of the boy scouts when he was young, he didn’t want to go into management either, any place that would put a box around his thinking and limit how he wanted to live out his life, was not an option. He wanted to be in an environment where he was free to be himself without boundaries.

He chose excellent people in his life, of course you didn’t get in on the first time of meeting, he had to see excellence in you to bring you into his world. Jeff protected this excellence, not allowing less than to enter into his state of being. He knew his value and was not going to let anyone tell him or treat him differently or define him otherwise.

And yet, when he went out into the world he embraced everyone, there wasn’t a stranger that wasn’t a friend for the moment. And he gave great hugs.

After graduating from MMI, he started working at Hacienda Harley Davidson where his life in Arizona would start to shape itself; not only with the friends he would meet but the respect that would come from many around. It could be said that Jeff looked around and decided how he would shape his move to Arizona. A highly regarded technician and tuner, Jeff didn’t disappoint in his excellence as Master Technician, he was highly recommended and had a following, bike owners willing to wait for this master technician to bring new life to their cherished bikes.

One thing about Jeff, when it came to the heart, he went all the way. You didn’t get in easily but when you did, you would be there forever. Angelique, the love of his life he went all the way. Woefully, Lukemia would overtake her body, robbing them of a life together. He tried to love again but that empty space within him could never be refilled. Finally, he gets to see his true love Angelique once again, what a reunion that had to have been.

A thief came in the night and also robbed him of a long life with his father James. As here on this earth, Jeff already had a following of family waiting with open arms in his heavenly place.

Jeff wasn’t a shallow-thinking person, he intertwined everything he did, everything that he was. The song Eclipse from Pink Floyd, another one of his favorites, reflects this. His time spent at the planetarium gazing at the light shows, and playing a song that enhanced the experience. It is a great indication as to life and the people in it and how he lived his life. It has passion, a multitude of emotions, and expression and reflection, even at the end, a heartbeat to sit and be still with. We will take a moment to hear another one of Jeff’s favorite songs, the words and music are a great representation of his emotion and soul and the way he manifested excellence.

(play 'Eclipse' by Pink Floyd)

"A recipe has no soul, You, as the cook must bring soul to the recipe." --Thomas Keller

From the family traditions of childhood, Jeff found a love for smoking meats. The standing rib roast with a red wine reduction became another tradition, Christmas dinner. What started with a family recipe, grew into meats coming off the grill that would melt in your mouth, they fed your soul and palate.

He was excellent in humor. He would bust your chops if you said something that was wrong, he kept people in line without condemning. He rather enjoyed looking at our current situation of the world virus and creating conspiracy theories of all that is going on.

His enjoyment was people-watching. He could make up some great stories about their lives and when he was flabbergasted at the actions of people, he had a line "do you see what I am seeing?" You could see the depth of his laughter, when it brought on a cough.

Before Jeff left New Jersey, he did a roof gutter job. Instead of payment, a Harley Davidson motorcycle was offered to him. Jeff took it but with some hesitation and a secret; his grandmother referred to those motorcycles as street lice, mom wouldn’t be happy. So to the garage it went, hidden away. Come to find out, mom was ok with it. She also became one of his favorite passengers, she naturally knew how to lean with him. You could say she already knew how, she had been leaning with him and for him all his childhood, and he continued leaning with her throughout his adult life, across the states, over the phone in heartfelt conversations.

Jeff was a part of a band of brothers, Ari, Gordon, Joe and Jason; None of which Jeff had the time of day for until he understood how they would fit into his excellence.

After graduation, Jeff went to work at Hacienda Harley Davidson; it’s where he met the first one in the band of brothers. He sold that ol bike from the gutter job, Jason would be the lucky recipient; not just for a good bike, but for a good friend.

Ari, he had to prove himself to Jeff even though he was already a technician and Jeff was the new kid on the block. But after time of watching, and them talking, growing a mutual respect for each other, they became the closest of friends.

Joe, he had a rough start in their friendship, he was a salesman and Jeff wasn’t too sure of him to put it kindly. But they found they had a common ground, both going to an all boys school and all the things you would learn in that environment. Joe also learned how to ride with Jeff, riding handlebar to handlebar, he knew how Jeff moved on his bike.

Gordon, he won Jeff over just by simply saying "hi" to him every day.

Although it took time to cultivate these individual friendships, what grew out of it was a passion to be a close knit family of friends that worked hard and played hard together.

Rosie, Jason’s wife and Cathy, an original at Hacienda were just the beginning. Jeff found Cathy stuck up, but she won him over as he upgraded the bike she purchased. Such a close knit of friends. Even after the thief came and robbed Jason’s from this group, Rosie and Cathy stayed in the pack. And his first friend in Arizona, Jason, I can imagine they are already laughing and reminiscing about the good ol' days and all of you left here on this earth. Jeff stayed and cultivated his surroundings as Hacienda Harley Davidson became Harley Davidson of Scottsdale. The climate may have changed, but the band of brothers did not.

And traditions began within this family of friends...

Saturday night’s from K O'Donnell's, known as the watering hole, to Rosie’s house for dinner and Yahtzee. Jeff had rules of excellence too. You don’t drive if you have been drinking, you follow the laws and drive the speed limit. Well, maybe not drive the speed limit, but tell Rosie you do.

Facebook and all of that didn’t entertain Jeff. However, the group text with the only ‘The Boys' was a way to keep up with and teasing and laughter that was their own code and the ledger of what was owed from the Yahtzee games, Ari, the commissioner of the ledger, it was serious business and Monopoly money was the payment method.

At this time, we will reflect on the quality of Jeff, the live he lived and the memories that will go forward with each of you in their own way. Please feel free to come forward or stay where you are seated and share a short memory. We do ask that you keep it short as time is of the essence.

(guests share memories)

I asked, what made Jeff sad… and there wasn’t anything anyone could come up with, even his attitude was of excellence, always positive.

Then, once again, the thief came in the night and took this excellent human being from this earth. The news of Jeff’s death came like a lightning bolt; hitting hard, and causing a jolt of pain that still sits like an open wound. There is still confusion and disbelief of what has occurred. There is no denying the loss, or the time it will take to heal.

It is reality that life will never be the same again. One of the people who has made life’s journey more joyous by their presence is now gone. The ride from the watering hole to Rosie’s house now has a permanent void.

"I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even in death. They continue to participate in every act, thought, and decision we make. Their love leaves a permanent imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love." --Leo Buscaglia

Jeff has definitely left an imprint of excellence that lives of all of you here.

We can imagine that even in Heaven, Jeff is putting music to his days and is living in distinction. (play Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens). This song, he played and sang it with his swim team every morning at 5:00 am, getting geared up for practice. It seems suitable for this new day in your life. As you listen, you hear the lyrics say, God's recreation of the new day, Morning has broken like the first morning, and now, each day forward is a recreation, a new day of your lives without Jeff.

We will end this service with one last song that seems suitable to leave all of you... although he started each morning with it as his wake up song, it is so fitting to how he will be in heaven. 'Beach in Hawaii' by Ziggy Marley, from the album love is my Religion. This says so much about how he orchestrated his excellence. If you listen to the words, I think it would be on point to say that he would want this to be your wake up song every day too and think of him.

He would want you to take care of each other, keep his memories alive, stay together, never forget the past, keep up traditions and riding from the watering hole to Rosie’s and last but not least, make sure Ari keeps the Yahtzee scores right.

My wish for all of you today is that your grief is a little lighter, yes you have been saddened by Jeff’s passing, but I hope you have been inspired by the excellence of his life and his love for you, his family and friends.

May you live each day in the memories, laughter and the love that he had for all of you.

Let us pray:

"Sovereign Lord, we thank you for the life of Jeff, Thank you for the excellence and friendships that will remain in the hearts of his loved ones and friends. Please watch over them as the journey of grief begins. In time of sadness, let them be comforted. In times of noticing the void, let memories fill the space with laughter and love. Amen."

(play 'Beach in Hawaii' by Ziggy Marley)

Our service has ended. May you all go in peace knowing you were all a part of Jeff’s well-lived life.