Lorena Daniels Bryant, 101, of Ocilla, Georgia, died Saturday, September 15, 2018, at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton.
Graveside services and interment will be held at Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery in Irwin County at 3 PM, on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, with the Rev. Mark Swain officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be from Noon until 2 PM Tuesday at the funeral home in Ocilla. Her pallbearers are Chance Hobby, Kameron Hobby, Tony Smith, Bryant Smith, Matt Lumsden, and Ron Lundy.
Mrs. Bryant was born May 18, 1917, in Irwin County, Georgia, to the late Thomas & Mattie Arnold Daniels. She lived in the community most of her life. She was a graduate of Ocilla High School where she played on the state champion basketball team. She also lived in Warner Robins and was employed with Braziels Mercantile. Her employment included Allied Department Store and was co-manager of the Dairy Queen in Ocilla. She and a sister managed the lunch diner at Hudson Stockyard in Fitzgerald, making their home-cooked meals. She will be remembered for her love of cooking and sharing it with others. Lorena was very family-oriented, having enriched both her love of cooking and love of family when she, her Dad, and siblings carried on their lives after the loss of her mother when she was only 11 years old. In later years, she and her remaining siblings would often get together to eat and play the board game Pollyanna.
As a faithful pastor’s wife, she served with her husband of over 65 years, Rev. Littleton Edward Bryant, as a member of several churches. At present, she was the oldest member of Pine Hill Baptist Church in Ocilla.
She was affectionately known as Punkin to all of the grands and greats. Each grand began at an early age to assist her in baking and cooking as she sat them on her kitchen counter to stir and sift.
Lorena is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Ferris (Harold) Parrish of Irwinville and Patricia (Jimmy) Hobby of Fitzgerald; grandchildren: Sonya Parrish Bishop (Ron) Lundy, Allison Hobby (Tony) Smith, and Chance Hobby; great-grandchildren: Katie Bishop, Kaylan Smith (Matt) Lumsden, Bryant Smith, Amber Smith, Kameron Hobby, Ronald (Susan) Lundy, and Bridgett Lundy; and great-great-grandchild, Judah Graham Lundy. Also surviving is sister, Inez Purvis Wheeler of Alapaha; and sisters-in-law, Annabel Daniel of Columbus, Ohio and Ann Daniels of Fitzgerald. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by six brothers: Charlie (Edna) Daniels, Emmett Daniel, Ira (Aileen) Daniels, Leon (Ruth) Daniels, Cleo (Alma) Daniels, and H. M. Daniels; two sisters, Leona (William) Tucker and Agnes (Harvey Lee) Hobbs; and a brothers-in-law, E.B. Purvis and Bobby Wheeler.