Ellen Irene Bryant

Ellen Irene Lillard Bryant, 88, of Gainesville died at her home on May 21, 2010. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were with her.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, May 24, at 11:00 A.M. at New Hope Cemetery in Mountain Springs. Services are under the direction of Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home.

Irene was born February 17, 1922, in Mountain Springs to the late George Washington Lillard and Julia Newton Lillard. She attended the Mountain Springs School and then graduated from Gainesville High School in 1938. She married William Troy Bryant on September 2, 1939. The next year, they celebrated the birth of their first son, Troy Jr. George came four years later, then Harold and David. After the four boys, they had three daughters, Tamera, Karen, and Jo Ellen.

In 1950, they bought the first of several parcels of land that became Five Oaks Farm.

Irene was a stay-at-home mom for many years. During that time, she also enrolled at Cooke County Junior College and taught Sunday School and served as president of the Women’s Missionary Union at Calvary Baptist Church. In the 1960s, she went to work in the Cooke County Tax Collector’s Office and then in the Assessor’s Office. She was elected Cooke County Treasurer in 1968 and served in that office for 18 years. While in office, she worked successfully to raise not only the salary level of women officials to one comparable to the salary that men were receiving but also the level of respect given to women officials. She was extremely proud of the contributions she made to the county and its finances.

Irene was also active in Business and Professional Women, Soroptimist Club, and Cooke County Democratic Club.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Troy, her son Troy Jr., two sisters, Betty Duke and Delsie Lillard, and three brothers, J.W., Kenneth, and Archie Lillard.

Survivors include son George Bryant of Gainesville, sons and daughters-in-law Harold and Marynell Bryant of Sulphur Springs and David and Debi Bryant of Coalville, Utah, daughters Tamera Bryant of Columbus, Ohio, Jo Ellen Fisher of Gainesville, and daughter and son-in-law Karen Parkhill and Santos Juarez of Prairie Grove.

Grandchildren include Valerie Nelson, Deborah Riches, William Troy Bryant III, Cody Bryant, Jennifer Bryant, Melissa Porter, Martin Bryant, Sara Bryant, Logan Bryant, Ashley Bryant, Melanie MCCollum, Jasper Juarez, Kati Crump, Cassy Ball, Amanda Ball, Treven Fisher, and Eli Fisher. Irene has 25 great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her sisters Marcelle Rogers of Callisburg and Peggy Fogle of Mesquite, sister-in-law Janice Lillard of Gainesville, and brother and sister-in-law Doug and Doris Lillard of Callisburg. She is also survived by many cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends.

Visitation will be at Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home Sunday evening from 6 to 8 P.M.

Memorial contributions can be made to The American Cancer Society or Home Hospice of Cooke County.