Published Sept. 18, 2020
Herbert Bryant, born August 15, 1931 in Augusta, Georgia, passed away quietly at home in Monroe,
Louisiana on September 6, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Marilea; son, Bert Bryant
and wife, Denise; daughter, Caroline Baker and husband, Tim; granddaughter Leslie
Delozier; great granddaughter Riley Delozier; and brother, Van Glover.
Following his graduation from Richmond Academy in Augusta, Georgia, Herb joined the
U.S. Navy, serving for two years aboard the aircraft carrier U S S Yorktown during
the Korean War. Upon receiving a B.A. in Journalism from the University of South Carolina
in 1957, he worked as a photojournalist for the Charleston News and Courier, and then
as a staff writer for the Atlanta Journal. A highlight of his time as a newspaper
journalist was interviewing Adlai Stevenson II, who ran twice for President against
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Returning to the University of South Carolina, Herb received a Master鈥檚 Degree in
English, after which he taught at Pfeiffer College in North Carolina. He completed
his education in 1973 with a Ph.D. in English from the University of Tennessee, in
Knoxville. He soon joined the faculty of the Department of English at the University
of Louisiana at Monroe where he remained until his retirement in 2006. Professor Bryant鈥檚
major focus was 18th Century British and American Literature and Literature of the
South. He also taught courses in Journalism, Mass Media, Technical Writing and Creative
Writing. In 1977, he designed and supervised an extensive creative writing workshop
for high school students, supported by a large grant from the Louisiana Department
of Education. In 1994, he traveled to Argentina on a Fulbright Scholarship.
In his youth, Herb was an avid reader of the Western novels of Zane Grey. A gifted
young artist, he collected every issue of the Saturday Evening Post that featured
a Norman Rockwell painting on its cover. Later, he would produce outstanding works
in pen and ink, as well as paintings in watercolor and oil.
Herb possessed a folksy sensibility and easy sense of humor. He was a keen observer
of Southern culture and celebrated its eccentricities. Playing the harmonica fit perfectly
with his love of Mark Twain. Indeed, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was one of many
books he read aloud to his children at bedtime. Another favorite was James Thurber鈥檚
The Night The Bed Fell, which, according to Herb鈥檚 children, their father not so much
read as performed. An aspiring writer, he produced a novel, Noland, as well as numerous
short stories. He was a superb editor and enthusiastic supporter of the creative efforts
of others.
Herb was a devoted runner and swimmer. He was a scrappy tennis player and a great
doubles partner. Open heart surgery, performed by renowned heart surgeon Dr. Denton
Cooley in 1989, forced only a temporary break in Herb鈥檚 physical activities. Soon
after, a newspaper photo showed him pausing between laps at the university swimming
pool.
Herb is missed by his family, his friends and the many former students and colleagues
who fondly remember him.
Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com
Mulhearn Funeral Home
Sterlington Road, Monroe, LA
