Ryland Stewart "Stew" Bryant, Jr.

Ryland Stewart “Stew” Bryant, Jr., 81, of Amarillo died February 14, 2020.

Vigil services will be at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 4100 S. Coulter St. Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at St. Thomas with Rev. John Valdez as celebrant, Rev. Victor Hugo and Msgr. Joe Bixenman concelebrating . Private family burial to follow at Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home 4100 S. Georgia St.

Stew was born in Baltimore, Maryland in May of 1938 to Stewart and Flora May Bryant. He left Baltimore at age 6 residing in Cumberland Md., Chicago, Ill., and several communities surrounding Reading, Pa., before returning to Baltimore where he entered high school at Towson Sr. High in Towson, Md.

After graduating from Towson High in 1956, he entered Furman University in Greenville, S.C. where he studied 2 years before transferring to Wake Forest College in Winston-Salem, N.C. It was during his junior year that he and Mary Lou Schaefer married on November 25, 1961. Following graduation in 1962, he entered the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant serving at Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. Following two years as active duty, he returned to Baltimore and continued his military service with 6 years of active reserve duty.

It is at this time that he joined American Smelting and Refining Company, now known as Asarco, as a metallurgist at the Baltimore Plant. After serving in various management positions there, he transferred to the newly constructed Amarillo Copper Refinery in Amarillo in May of 1975. He retired in May of 2000.

Before retiring, Stew was already preparing for “life after Asarco” as he and wife Mary Lou together took applicable real estate courses at Amarillo College that would allow him to become licensed shortly after retirement.

In June of 2000, Stew joined Coldwell Banker First Equity, Realtors as a sales agent. He worked at Coldwell Banker until his death. He often spoke of just how much he enjoyed working for this organization and its people. He spoke often of the incredible integrity and caring of the organization from top to bottom. He often mentioned that he could not imagine there being a better organization anywhere.

His interests include golf, music, baseball, motorcycling and his church. His most memorable golf moments were breaking 80 for the first time, attending the Masters in Augusta twice and playing Pebble Beach. His entire golf foursome all transferred with Asarco to Amarillo where they continued to play together for nearly 35 years.

Stew coached and umpired little league baseball in Baltimore and continued this for several more years in Amarillo.

Stew always admired musicians, “real musicians,” as he would say. He and Mary Lou attended the Amarillo Symphony concerts many years. Stew was always awed by the Symphony musicians. He viewed them as one might view professional athletes. He tried his hand at guitar and piano for several years, but was unable to live up to being a “real musician.”

Stew got involved in motorcycling though the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He first sat on a motorcycle at age 62, took the motorcycle safety course at Amarillo College and has loved it ever since.

But one of the most important parts of his life was his faith. He attended church at a very early age and continued to do so until his death. He had entered college in hopes of becoming a Baptist minister. This did not work out but that did not deter him from attending church on a regular basis.

In 1996, he converted to the Catholic faith at St. Thomas Church where he and Mary Lou were founding members.

Stew was especially proud of his children who he claims never really gave he and Mary Lou any problems while turning into responsible caring Christian adults with exceptional work values.

Stew was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Mary Meadowcroft; a stillborn brother, and a beloved pet Savannah.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; son, Stewart and wife, Lori of San Antonio; son, Steven of Amarillo; daughter, Jill Humphrey and husband, Jeff of Amarillo; four very lovely granddaughters, Addie Bryant Cooke and husband, Shane of Alexandria, VA., Sarah Bryant Montez and husband, Michael of St. Augustine, Fl., Elizabeth Humphrey of Austin, and Emily Humphrey of Amarillo; a great-granddaughter, Elise Humphrey of Amarillo; and two very special parts of his life, pets, Ginger and Libby.

The family suggests memorials be made to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Parish, 4100 S. Coulter St. Amarillo, Texas 79109