Carolyn Bryan

September 30, 1936 - January 1, 2022

In loving memory of Carol Bryan, age 85, of Shelby Twp. who passed away after a short illness. Carol was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Friend, and Confidant. Her sense of humor and adventure were second to none and she lived everyday to the fullest. Carol was truly loved and her impact on the lives of those closest to her are a living testament to her extraordinary life. Carol was a faithful servant to our Lord and an active member of Shepherd’s Gate Church. She will forever be in our hearts and we will miss her quick wit and joy of life. She is survived by her son Larry Bryan (Barb), daughter Joan Lockwood (Dan), grandchildren Kyle Bryan, Bryan Lockwood, Kristen Bryan, and Kim Bryan, sisters Virginia Cook and Gayle Johnson, and numerous nieces and nephews. Carol is predeceased by her husband Frank. Carol was born in Rome, Georgia and moved to Detroit as a child. She married Frank Bryan Jr. in 1957. They had 49+ wonderful years together and were blessed with two children and four grandchildren before Frank’s passing in 2006. Carol was a loving wife and mother and shared a very special and loving relationship with her two children. She loved her weekday lunches with her son, Larry, and her weekend adventures and shopping sprees with her daughter, Joan. Carol deeply loved her children and grandchildren and was very proud of each an every one of them. Her house was filled with photos of their life’s journeys and she was always ready to talk about her kids and grandkids. Carol worked for the telephone company right out of high school and eventually went to work at Ford Motor Company as a secretary. Her hard work and strong work ethic paid off and she retired from the Ford Romeo Engine Plant as the Salaried Personnel Supervisor. She still maintained her friendships with her Ford friends right up until her passing. Carol was an avid golfer. She also loved travelling in general, but especially loved travelling with friends to Florida. She even went parasailing at age 79. She regularly attended the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Meadowbrook Theatre events and belonged to several Euchre groups. In her later years she took up water aerobics to stay fit and made several good friends in her “Water Lillies” group. After joining Shepherd’s Gate church in 1988, she become very active within that community and always volunteered to serve whenever she could. Most notably, Carol was a Stephen Minister for six years, went on a mission trip to Israel in 2008, worked as a Welcome Center and Greeter Volunteer, and was part of the Alter Guild. She was also an active member of her house church. Carol forged very strong relationships with her Shepherd’s gate family and she valued each and every one of them. In addition to her life-long friends, Carol also enjoyed her Lunch Bunch Ladies outings every Tuesday. These ladies met each week at a different locale for food and fellowship. Carol epitomized the term “A life well-lived”. We all loved her and will miss her terribly even though we know she is in a better place with our Lord. Memorial donations can be made in Carol's memory to Relay for Life of Greater Shelby Township http://main.acsevents.org/goto/inmemoryofcarolynbryan or Shepherd’s Gate Church (sgatechurch.org).