Native Walla Wallan Howard Roscoe Bryson, 76, died July 18, 1989, at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center.
The funeral service was held today at Washington Soldiers’ Home Chapel in Orting, Wash., and the memorial service was at Sumner (Wash.) Presbyterian Church. Burial was at Veterans of all Wars Court in Mountain View Cemetery, Tacoma.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sumner Presbyterian Church through hill Funeral Home, 217 E. Pioneer Ave., Puyallup, Wash. 98372.
Bryson was born July 21, 1912, in Walla Walla. He was a direct descendant of William I. Price of Orange. Bryson’s ancestors settled at New Amsterdam, N.Y. from the Netherlands and later in Iowa. Some came West in a covered wagon and settled in Cove, Ore.
He attended elementary school in Walla Walla. While at Walla Walla High School, he participated in numerous activities and won a tennis championship. He graduated from high school at 15 with an IQ of 150.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics in 1933 from Whitman College when he was 19. While at Whitman, he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, French club, the sophomore play staff, was a advertising manager of The Pioneer, in pep band, manager of the operetta “Pirates of Penzance,” and a member of the Drama Club, participating in “Blue Moon.”
He taught commercial and business subjects in the Clarkston High School and later at Washtuncna High School. He also managed his father’s sheep ranch for about five years when his father was in ill health.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Bryson enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1942. He married his college sweetheart, Vivian Simas, that year on Aug. 15 at McChord Air Force Base. During his five-year stint with the Army, he served 3 ½ years overseas during World War II. He was a staff sergeant in the quartermaster division, attached to the U.S. Army air Corps in the 43rd Services Group. After going around the world, he was stationed at Bengazi, Libya, and later in the Italian Theater.
He declined a teaching post at the University of Rome to return to his Seattle home after the war. He had been decorated with the Victory, Good Conduct, American Theater Service and European-African Middle-Eastern Service medals.
He worked up to the position of chief claims adjuster with Pacific Fruit and Produce Co. in its home office. He later became manager of a Firestone store in Seattle.
In 1952, he moved with his family to Tacoma, settling in a home overlooking the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. He worked as a detailed pharmaceutical salesman for Ayrherst, McKenna and Harrison Co. and later owned and managed a Richfield service station there.
After continuing graduate study at the university of Puget Sound, Tacoma, he held teaching posts at Sumner, Trout Lake, Elma and Oakville, Wash.
Bryson retired at the Washington Soldier’s Home in Orting in May 1975. He served as captain of Roosevelt barracks, was on the Standards Committee of the home, was treasurer of the Disabled American Veterans of the Disabled American Veterans and served on the Governor’s Advisory Board of the Veterans Affairs Committee.
He was a 34-year member of the Sumner Presbyterian Church and a trustee there. He enjoyed the 3 ½ years spent with the Tacoma Men’s Bible Study Fellowship group.
He went through a number of major surgeries in October 1984 and was in the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center for 18 consecutive months. He had been in the Washington Soldiers home Nursing Care facility since that time. He returned to the Seattle VA medical facility for more major surgery June 23, 1989.
Some of his hobbies were reading, clam digging, leather tooling, gardening and traveling. He was a member of the Huguenot Society; a life member of DAV and Sima Chi; and a former member of Elks Lodge, Knife and Fork Club and the Tacoma Nighters Dance Club.
Survivors include his wife, at home; two daughters, Kathryn Holden of Woodinville, Wash., and Barbara Bishop of Pullman; his sister, Blanche Bryson of Walla Walla; and three grandchildren, Christina and Jeffrey Bishop, both of Pullman, and Julie Holden of Woodinville.
–Walla Walla Union-Bulletin (WA), Friday, 21 July 1989, pg. 3
