OVERBROOK, Kan. – Laurel Maurine “Lolly” (Johnson) Bryan, 91, passed away on March 8, 2023, at Brookside Retirement Community, Overbrook, Kan. Laurel was born Jan. 16, 1932, in Akron, Colo., to Ernest David Johnson and Marjory Evelyn (Northcutt) Johnson.
She graduated from Burlingame High School, Burlingame, Kan., in 1950.
Laurel married James Donald Bryan, Jan. 27, 1951. They owned and operated the Bryan family farm in Scranton, Kan., for more than 50 years during their 71 years of marriage. As a farming family, they were both long-term members of the Young Farmers and the National Farmers organizations.
Although Laurel was born and raised as a “townie”, she quickly learned to operate various pieces of farm equipment, including grain trucks and tractors. Grandson Marc Carnes always spoke excitedly about Grandma driving the “big John Deere tractor” with the “double duals”! Laurel often came home after a long day in the fields to mix up a big batch of home-made ice cream with freshly-picked strawberries from her own garden. She also grew and shared her tomatoes, gladiolas, and roses with her friends and family over the years.
Laurel helped her three daughters in learning how to cook and sew during their 4-H club years. She even sacrificed her prize square-dance can-can and bamboo fishing pole to create a gigantic bug net for daughter Dawn’s 4-H entomology project!
In her 60s Laurel took up toll painting and woodcarving. Much of her work is on display by her family in their own homes.
Laurel was proceeded in death by her husband, Jim, Sept. 16, 2022; both parents; and sisters, Vida May Provolt and Mildred Eloise Berger.
Surviving family members include brother, Eldon D. Johnson, of Otis Orchards, Wash.; sisters, Nadine Eunice Warner, Redmond, Wash., and Charlotte (Joe) Buell, St. Helens, Ore., and Ketchikan, Alaska; three daughters, Dawn Carnes, Carbondale, Kan., Laurie (Doug) Spencer, Orlando, Fla., and June Bryan, Eau Claire, Wis.; four grandchildren, Marc (Jin) Carnes, Statesboro, Ga., Jenny Carnes, Topeka, Kan., Jackie (Scott) Pfeifer, Marshfield, Wis., and Tatiana (Aaron) Scott, Rogers, Minn.; and two great grandchildren, Nicholas and Alex Pfeifer.
A graveside memorial service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Scranton Cemetery, Scranton. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, at Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, 730 Western Heights Drive, Overbrook. Memorial contributions can be made to the Brookside Activity Fund, and sent in care of Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, PO Box 268, Overbrook, KS 66524. Condolences can be left at www.lamb-roberts.com.
The entire Bryan family would like to give thanks to the wonderful team of caretakers at the Brookside Retirement Community Assisted Living and Nursing Home that took such great care of Mom these past six years, as well as the dedicated Phoenix Hospice workers that took care of her in her final days.
