Lona Gayle Lester Bryan, passed peacefully from this life on April 14, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on October 9, 1938, and grew up in Hohenwald, TN. She was the daughter of Willie Byrd and Florine Lester.

Gayle graduated from Lewis County High School with the class of 1956. For over thirty years, she and her high school girlfriends had a tradition of an annual girls’ trip to TN and made many wonderful memories over the years. Gayle graduated from Austin Peay State College in 1959, at the age of twenty, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in English and a minor in business. She married Norman Lee Bryan, the love of her life, on August 5, 1962. Norman served in the Air Force, and they were stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England for two years where they welcomed their first son. Norman was later an exploration geologist, and his career took them all over the country. They had a passion for traveling.

Gayle worked as an English teacher, a social worker in child protective services, and a service coordinator for the elderly. Her most important work was raising her three children and serving as an elder’s wife for many years. She was a dedicated Christian who faithfully attended and served her church family at Aiken Church of Christ for over 34 years, teaching many ladies’ Bible studies. She was a standing member of Palmetto Church of Christ in Columbia, SC where she attended with her family. Gayle was most recently a resident at Wellmore in Lexington, SC where she was loved and respected by many wonderful friends and caregivers, who paid their respects before her passing and thanked her for her wise advice and sharing the gospel with them. She loved to play Bridge several times a week with her friends. She was a gifted writer and spent much of her time reading and studying.

Gayle is survived by her daughter, Sandra (Michael) Marcelain of Aiken, SC; two sons, Todd Wayne (Angela) Bryan of Aiken, SC and Shawn Patrick (Melissa) Bryan, of Lexington, SC; eight grandchildren, Amanda White, Justin Summerall, Avery Bryan, Karsen Bryan, Tatum Bryan, Tyler Brown, Aaron Lott, and Rachel Lott, as well as many special brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Willie Byrd and Florine Lester; her sister, Susan McVey; her husband, Norman Lee Bryan.

She will be laid to rest with her husband at Swiss Cemetery in Hohenwald, TN. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorials be made to Palmetto Church of Christ: Missions, 7000 Nursery Road, Columbia, SC 29212, or at palmettochurch.org/donate. They will have a house built during a mission trip in Honduras in July in Gayle’s memory.

Celebration of life services were provided by Barr-Price Funeral Home in Columbia, SC.

McDonald Funeral Home is honored to be serving Ms. Bryan’s family for burial services.