Sammie Asbury Bryan

Sammie Asbury Bryan, age 90, of Greensboro, GA died Thursday, December 30, 2004 at Abbey Hospice in Social Circle. A lifelong resident of Greene County and the last of eleven siblings, he was born November 24, 1914 to the late Henry Jessie Bryan and Lizzie Williams Bryan. He attended Liberty School and operated the family farm during his teenage years. On December 12, 1942 he joined the United States Army where he served throughout the European Theatre and landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He was awarded five battle stars with the bronze arrowhead and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. After he was discharged in October of 1945, he worked for Mary Leila Cotton Mill. Then he helped survey Lake Oconee with Lowe Engineers and later went to work for Georgia Kraft at the seed orchard in 1975, retiring in 1979. He was an active and lifelong member of Walker United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred Durham Bryan of Greensboro, GA; a daughter, Sheila Bechtol and husband Alan of Covington, GA; two grandchildren, Andrew Alan Bechtol and wife Nicole of Social Circle, GA and James Bryan Bechtol and wife Amy of Covington, GA; three great grandchildren, Kristina Marie Bechtol, Jacob Alan Bechtol and Hailey Renee Bechtol and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 1, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. at Walker United Methodist Church with Rev. Ferris Hardin, Rev. Rick Maeser and Rev. Dr. Clyde R. Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with military honors. Serving as pallbearers are Alan Bechtol, Andrew Bechtol, James Bechtol, Charles Durham, Harry Bufford and Lester Bryan. Honorary pallbearers will be Comer Tolbert, James Bryan, Charlton Veazey, Harold Glass, Lewyn Geiger, Wallace Patton, Joe Durham, Jerry Butler, Bobby Durham, Lewis Heath, John Berg, Earl Heath, Charles Copelan, Robert Bryan, Goodwin Bryan and members of the VFW Adams Walker Post #4259. The family requests that any memorials be made to the Walker United Methodist Church Building Fund, 2730 Walker Church Road, Greensboro, GA 30642. The family will receive friends from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday night at the funeral home. McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. Visit us online at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the guest register.

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