Ouachita County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....BRYANT, ILVA OLEAN BETRAND March 28, 2015
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Gina Brown rootsgirl36@gmail.com April 5, 2015, 2:39 am

News Star World - March 30, 2015
ILVA OLEAN BETRAND BRYANT

Ilva Olean Bertrand Bryant, 90, passed away peacefully in her home Saturday, 
March 28, 2015. Ilva was born September 20, 1924 in Elton, Louisiana to Odel 
and Ida Bertrand. After graduating from Elton High School and completing 
business school in Lake Charles, Ilva moved to Monroe in 1942 with her employer 
when the company was contracted by T. L. James to help build Selman Army Field. 
It was there, that she first met and quickly fell in love with a handsome young 
Army paratrooper, Carl "Leo" Bryant, Sr. They were married in December 28, 1944 
while Leo was home on a furlough.

After World War II, they settled in Leo's hometown of Rayville, Louisiana where 
they had two sons, and made a simple, but beautiful life on their farm. A woman 
of faith, she found a second home at Sacred Heart Catholic Church where she 
served on the Altar Society and taught catechism. With a servant's heart, she 
cared for her family and friends with her amazing cooking, homemaking, sewing 
and crocheting - handing out her homemade dishcloths to everyone she knew and 
even to those she didn't know yet. Her Cajun heart and Southern grace shone 
through as she rarely met a stranger and went out of her way to make you feel 
welcome. Family and friends meant everything to her and Leo as they remained 
close to their extended families despite the distance that separated them. 
Together, they loved to travel and care for those in need through their quiet 
Christian example. She saw this life as a gift and could often be heard saying, 
"just look how much God has blessed us!"

She was preceded in death by her precious and devoted husband of 68 wonderful 
years, Carl "Leo" Bryant, Sr., her parents, Odel and Ida Bertrand, her sister, 
Velma Bertrand Clark, and her brothers, Curtis "Tiny" Bertrand, and Malcolm 
Bertrand.

She is survived by her two sons and daughter-in-laws, Carl Leo Bryant, Jr. and 
his wife, Brenda, of Rayville; and Franklin Odel Bryant and his wife, Mary 
"Celeste", of Natchitoches. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jennifer 
Mercer and her husband, Cole, of Mont Belvieu; Bridget Verret and her husband, 
Yves, of Shreveport; Carl Leo Bryant, III and his wife, Maggie, of Winnfield; 
Catherine Whitttington of Natchitoches; Donna Cooper and her husband, Chris, of 
Shreveport; and Rebecca Bates and her husband, Trevor, of Pensacola, Florida; 
as well as eleven great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, great 
nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

On Monday, March 31 at 10:00 am, the funeral Mass will be presided over by 
Father Phillip Pazhayakai at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rayville followed 
by graveside services in the St. Paul Catholic Church Cemetery at 4:00 pm in 
Elton, Louisiana.

Serving as pallbearers are Carl Leo Bryant, III, Cole Mercer, Yves Verret, III, 
Christopher Cooper, David Bertrand and Philip Todd Bertrand. Honorary 
pallbearer is Trevor Bates.

The family would like to thank the caregivers and healthcare providers of Delhi 
Hospice who compassionately and attentively cared for her and Mr. Leo in the 
last few years.

Should friends desire, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's 
Research Hospital (www.stjude.com), Memorial & Honor Program, 501 St. Jude 
Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

To leave condolences for the family go online to 
www.brownholleyfuneralhomes.com

Brown Holley Funeral Home

Rayville, LA 

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