BRYANT, William A.

The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ June 5, 2002, p. A16 William A. Bryant, 77, of passed away May 31, 2002. Born March 17, 1925 in Oklahoma, he was raised in Long Beach, Calif. He is survived by daughter Janette Bryant Jacobson; son-in-law Richard N. Jacobson; grandson Mark Bryant Budolfson; step-grandchildren Andrea Jacobson, Jennifer Jacobson and Skipp (Claudia) Jacobson; special friend Carol Atanasoff; niece Linda Hall Siomporas; and Charles Reidl. At age 18, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and was shot down over Germany during World War II. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Bronze Star during the Korean War for a successful mission to rescue downed comrades. Between wars, while active in the Air Corps Reserve in the Washington, D.C., area, he earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Maryland and a Masters Degree from George Washington University. Later, he was an assistant professor at Maryland and at the University of Idaho. Air Corps duties also led to temporary assignments in Tokyo, North Africa and Spain, where he hunted big game with the King of Spain, Generalissmo Franco and U.S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Major in 1963. Subsequently, he pursued many interests and worked in many fields, including a short career with Archer Daniels Midland Corporation, radio talk show host at WLOL radio station in Minneapolis, Minn., real estate broker, and professional lecturer at schools and other organizations in the Midwest. He also produced, distributed, narrated and served as cinematographer for three full-length motion pictures featuring hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. He retired for good first in Marco Island, Fla., and then in Wickenburg. In Wickenburg, he was a member of Los Caballeros Golf Club, where he was First Flight Club Champion and golfed with a 3 handicap. Finally, he moved to Sun City, Ariz., in 1999 where he maintained additional memberships at the Lakes Club, Union Hills Country Club, Sun City Country Club and Palmbrook Country Club. Services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday (June 4) at Sunland Lakeside Chapel, 15826 Del Webb Blvd. in Sun City, followed by a reception.