Wheeler Ray Bryant, 91, of Boise, Idaho passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Ray was born in Oak Grove, Lamar County, Mississippi on April 12,1933 to Edward Currie Bryant and Jewel May Pearson Bryant. He was the youngest of five children.
After graduation from Petal High School, Petal Mississippi, Ray enlisted in the United States Air Force for four years where he was an Airman Third Class. Ray shared stories of traveling to Italy and Morocco while in the Air Force.
Ray retired after serving for over 30 years with Hercules Incorporated in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Ray was a member of True Hope Ministries (formerly First Baptist Church of Boise) for many years. During those years he made many beloved friends. He was also actively involved with the Gideons International organization.
Ray traveled to Cuba, Prague, Peru and Kenya with an organization that brought the word of God and helped build schools and recreational facilities to impoverished communities around the world.
Ray is preceded in death by his parents Edward Currie Bryant and Jewel May Pearson Bryant, his brothers James Cullen Bryant and Sterling Artis Bryant, Sr., and his sisters Marguerite Bryant Hamblin and Gloria Frances Bryant Lee.
Ray is survived by his children Constance Marie Bryant Rathbone, Edward Craig Bryant and Anthony Ray Bryant, daughter-in-law Kindra Hansen Bryant as well as three grandchildren Jenna Rae Bryant, Joshua Ryan Bryant, Jackson Cullen Bryant and two great-grandchildren Annabelle Loren Bryant and Finn Eisley Frickey.
Funeral Services will be held at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay, Garden City, Idaho. Visitation/viewing will be Sunday, July 21 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The memorial service will be held on Monday, July 22 at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, Boise, Idaho.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800. Please reference Boise Camp Code U36003 on funds sent to Gideons International. Gideons supplies bibles and new testaments to schools, colleges, inmates in prisons/jails, hospitals, nursing homes and military recruits.