Evalyn Mary (Dykema) Bryan

Evalyn Mary (Dykema) Bryan was born January 17, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois to Henry S. Dykema and Evalyn Pearl Rayburn. She departed this life October 31, 2012 at N.E.A. Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro.

Evalyn the oldest of five children was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings, Ruth Emily Baker, James Henry Dykema and Philip Rayburn Dykema. Also preceding her was her beloved husband, John Hoyt Bryan and her three children, Evalyn Elnora “Penny” Bryan Gaither, James Earl Bryan and Ronald Hoyt Bryan.

She was a soda jerk when her children were young, then she worked for the Houston Credit Bureau for 13 years. She loved to walk everywhere she wanted to go. She also loved square dancing and bowling.

On July 17, 1939 she married and had three children. They lived in Villa Park. Then in 1951 they moved to Houston, Texas where her husband worked for the railroad.
In May of 1976 they moved from Houston to a farm in Oxford, Arkansas, where they retired. She was very active in the woman of the Moose, and Sunday at United Methodist/Cumberland Presbyterian.
Evalyn loved to can jelly and watching birds that came to her feeder.

She leaves behind her brother, Owen Wood Dykema of Roseburg Oregon, three grandchildren, Valerye Gayle Angelo Harris, James Lucian Angelo and Dana René Bryan Smith.

She also leaves behind, seven great grandchildren and nine great – great grandchildren.

There will be a memorial service at a later date at the United Methodist/Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Oxford, Arkansas. Her ashes will be later placed to rest in Villa Park, Illinois with her husbands.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to the Audubon Society.