Christalee Bryant

BRYANT, Mrs Christalee - Family hour 10AM Saturday, January 21, 2006 at Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle, at 930 E. Myrtle St., with funeral service commencing at 11AM. Dr. A.J. Pointer, officiating. Interment River Rest Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10AM Saturday. Mrs. Bryant will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 1PM-8PM Friday. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations in Christalee's name be sent to Avalon Hospice, at 2360 Stone Bridge Drive, Flint, Michigan, 48532. Phone number: 810 733-7250 or www.avalonhospice.org. The life of Christalee Rowe Bryant began on June 27, 1911 and ended on Friday January 13, 2006. She died peacefully in her home. She was 94 years young. Christalee was born to James and Willie (Pullum) Rowe (deceased) of Little Rock, Arkansas. She was the first of six siblings: John Rowe (deceased), Margaret Davies, Arzelner Rowe (deceased) Earlee Webb, and Maxine Gaines. Preceding her in death is her husband Bunyan Bryant whom she married in Little Rock Arkansas in 1934. She leaves behind three sons: Bunyan Bryant Jr. (Jean Carlberg) of Ann Arbor, Norman (Kay) Bryant and Earl (Brenda) Bryant of Flint, and one daughter Sandra Bryant of Newport News, Virginia. Also she leaves behind seven grandchildren: Sue (James) Gaither, Sherri Bryant, Stephanie Bryant, Simone (Daryl) Gaines, Keith Bryant, Cindy (Henry) James, and Nicole Thomas. She leaves behind eight great grandchildren: Anika, James Bryant, and Chelsea Gaither; LaBrea and Lauren Bryant; Makayla and Marisa Gaines; and Leia James. In addition she leaves behind two nieces and one nephew: Margaret Ethridge of South Holland, Illinois, Kim Smith of Carmel, Indiana, and Jimmy Davies, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She also recognized Rhonda and Charles Tutt and their daughter Sancia and Marcella Carlysle and Betty Wallace as a part of her extended Flint family. During her last few days with us, her extended family from all over the country came to show their love and respect. In Little Rock, Christalee graduated from Dunbar High School and for a brief time she attended Philander Smith, a historical black college. Christalee loved music and at a very early age she studied piano in St. Louis, Missouri. For a number of years she played the piano and directed the choir of the First Baptist Church in Little Rock. At that time she was also very active in the Stephen's School PTA. In the early 1940s when she moved her family to Flint to be with her husband, she joined Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle where she played the piano, directed the church choir and Easter Cantata. On June 27, 1998 the Music Department of the Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle presented the 60th Anniversary Homecoming Award to Christalee for her dedication and years of service to the Metropolitan Baptist Music Ministry. Over the years she also gave unselfishly of herself by playing the piano for James Chapel CME Church and the Church of God and Christ. Although she was not able to attend church in the last years of her life, she and her sister hosted weekly Bible study at their home for the immediate family in Flint. Christalee was intensively involved in her community. In 1963, she received the "Key to the City" for her outstanding work for organizing the Edmund Street Block Club. For 16 years she worked as a practical nurse at Hurley Hospital where she attended the sick. In her young adult life she wanted to do missionary work in Africa. Although this dream was never realized, she did travel to Africa with her sister Margaret Davies in the early 1970s. Christalee was an educator and for many years after her trip to Africa, she gave slide presentations to various groups on Kenya, and Tanzania. Christalee made it a point to teach her children at a very early age about pride and the wonderful contribution of African Americans. Even at age 94 she continued to read the paper, watch the six o'clock news and surf the internet, sending electronic messages to relatives and friends across the nation. She enjoyed her extended family and attending family reunions was always important to her. She loved to talk about foreign and domestic issues and she had a keen sense of right and wrong; and justice. Christalee had a keen sense of humor and often shared laughter with friends and relatives. The family wishes to thank the many friends who nurtured our mother and a special thanks to the staff of Avalon, especially Kisha Blanton and Keyia Evans. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made in Mrs. Bryant's name and be forward to Avalon Hospice, 2360 Stone Bridge Drive, Flint, Michigan, 48532, (810) 733-7250 or www.avalonhospice.org.

Christalee Bryant

June 27, 1911 - January 13, 2006