Samantha Renee Bryan

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment to animals." - Immanuel Kant, German philosopher

A kind young lady with an amazing smile and a love of dogs, Samantha Renee Bryan passed away April 25, 2022, at the age of 25.

Samantha was born December 7, 1996, in Moore, Oklahoma, to Jennifer Renee and Christopher James Bryan. Growing up with her siblings Madison, Cheyenne, and Sebastian, she lived in Moore until the age of eleven. That summer, in 2008, she accepted Jesus into her heart at Falls Creek Youth Camp. She came home and said, "Guess what, mama. I got saved!" At age eleven, the family moved to Sulphur, Oklahoma. In high school, she enjoyed playing the clarinet in the marching band, where they had band t-shirts that said, "half-time is game time." Go Bulldogs! Samantha graduated from Sulphur High School in 2015.

Samantha was a very compassionate and empathetic person. Her love of people was instantly whole-hearted. She loved freely, fiercely, and without judgement, and was happy to tell you how much she loved you. This kind nature worked well in her job as an animal caretaker. Samantha loved animals, especially dogs. She was always sending her mom pictures of the dogs she was taking care of and telling stories about them.

Samantha loved all things anime. She read manga, watched anime TV shows and movies, and collected anime things such as posters, keychains, plastic figurines, and stickers. She also had a huge collection of stuffed animals. Dogs, bunny rabbits, turtles, and frogs were her favorites. Samantha was also passionate about art and made art journals. She loved media forms of art, as well as cultural art forms like when they went to see Shen Yun.

Samantha enjoyed spending time with her family. Her dad Christopher remained her hero even as an adult, and she texted her mother a lot. Many of her best times were with them and her siblings. She loved camping with them and had wonderful memories of floating down the Illinois River and fishing with her family. She also had a great time on her friends' adventure weekend, where they dug up geological crystals from the earth. A huge fan of the Beatles, her favorite song was "Hey Jude." She loved macaroni and cheese with coffee ice cream for dessert.

Samantha leaves behind her parents Jennifer Renee Bryan and Christopher James Bryan, her sisters Madison Claire Merrifield and Cheyenne Necole Kozak, her brother Sebastian Christopher Bryan, and her schnauzers Charley and Teddy. She is reunited with Grandma Peggy, Grandma Dot, Grandma Shirley, Granddad Towery, Grandma King, Uncle Marshall, Uncle Bill, cousin Tressie, Uncle Danny, and her black pit bull Leo.

To honor and celebrate Samantha, a celebration of life service will begin at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home in Gainesville, Texas.

Samantha's compassion, smile, and hugs will be remembered.