Larry Bryan, 87, of Colon passed away Sunday, January 26, 2025 at Sparrow House in Sturgis after a brief illness.
Following cremation, a memorial service is planned for spring. Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation of Union City is handling arrangements.
Larry was born on September 2, 1937, in Battle Creek, eldest son of Riley and Arlene Bryan.
Farming was Larry’s passion. He loved nurturing crops and livestock. He took out a bank loan to buy his first tractor at age 15. While still in high school, he managed his family’s farm northeast of Colon for extended periods while his parents were out of state.
Soon after graduating from Colon High School in 1955, Larry embarked on a 30-year career in road construction, primarily with Rieth-Riley of Battle Creek.
While stopping to say hello to a former co-worker in Union City, Larry met the love of his life, Marlene York. He asked her out on a date during that chance meeting. They married on August 29, 1958, and celebrated 66 anniversaries together.
The couple bought their own farm near Colon, raising row crops and more than 100 sheep as a secondary career. They held production auctions, selling sheep mostly to 4-H members to show at county fairs.
Larry and his wife also travelled the craft show circuit for more than 20 years, selling woven rugs from the East Coast to the West Coast. He visited all 50 states.
In retirement, Larry tended a large yard that sort of substituted for farming. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, and camping. He and Marlene also did volunteer work with the Colon Community Historical Society, receiving special recognition from the organization in 2020.
In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by his youngest brother, Sgt. Robert L. Bryan.
Survivors include his wife, Marlene, of Colon; two sons, Jeff Bryan of Colon and LaMar (Pamela) Bryan of Madisonville, KY; two sisters, Ginger Carr of Battle Creek and Rebecca Myers of Norfolk, VA; and a brother, Roger Bryan of Colon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Colon Community Historical Society, P.O. Box 136, Colon, MI 49040.
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