Margaret Allene Vaughn Bryan, of Walnut Hill, Fla., 87, went peacefully to be with her God and Savior, comforted by family in her home, on Friday, March 20, 2015.

She was born on Feb. 3, 1928, in McCullough, where she lived for four years before moving to Walnut Hill, where she resided for the remainder of her life. She raised her family and eventually retired from the Escambia County School District, after having served in food service for 33.5 years.

She was one of the two remaining original members of Walnut Hill Baptist Church, where she served faithfully and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone she met. Additionally, she sang in the choir for over 73 years, enjoyed Sunday school and special gatherings with her church family such as Homecoming, and sought ways to help the church grow and prosper for the Lord.

She spent many joyful years playing guitar and singing alto with her band, the Discipleaires, cooking her famous chocolate pies, and telling everyone she met about those she loved. Spending time with family and fellowshipping with many friends made her life happy and complete.

She is preceded in death by her parents, William Michael and Dorcas Allene Vaughn, and her loving husband and best friend, Eugene (Gene) Bryan.
She is survived by her sister, Pauline Stuart of Bay Minette; brother-in-law, Charles Bryan, and sister-in-law Louise of Pensacola, Fla.; sister, Virginia Bryan-Sims and brother-in-law, Therrell, of Theodore, and sister-in-law, Lorraine Huff of Pittsburgh, Pa.; her three children and their spouses: William E. and Sharon Bryan of Macon, Ga., Dianne and Wesley Foster of Ft. Myers, Fla., and Terri and Don Jernigan of Pensacola, Fla.; six grandchildren and their spouses: Kellie and Verne Ferguson of Alpharetta, Ga., Kim Bryan Spears-Reich and Andy Reich of Stuart, Fla., Jonathan and Christi Bryan of Daphne; Brian Foster of Tuscaloosa; Ashley and Hamid Yazarlou of Long Beach, Calif.; and SSG Landon Jernigan of Ft. Carson, Colo. Additionally, she is survived by her nine great-grandchildren: Brooke, Maggie and Davis Ferguson, Emily and Elizabeth Spears, Fisher and Finley Bryan, and Caylin and Camryn Yazarlou.

The family received friends on Monday, March 23, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Her Celebration of Life Service was held on Tuesday, March 24, at 2 p.m. at Walnut Hill Baptist Church and was officiated by pastor Ted Bridges. She was laid to rest in the church cemetery immediately following the service.

Active pallbearers were Brian Foster, Jonathan Bryan, Verne Ferguson, Feulner Stuart, Derrick Stuart and Gary Bryan.

Honorary pallbearers were SSG Landon Jernigan (active duty), Hamid Yazarlou, Billy Ward, Leroy Wiggins, Gary Purvis, Don Strickland, Lindy Phillips, James Grant, Carl Deckerd, Edward Godwin, Brett Ward, Bo Bartley, Kenneth Bryan, Clayton Scott, Preston Solomon and Kent Sherrill.

Memorial gifts may be made in honor of Margaret Allene Vaughn Bryan to the Walnut Hill Baptist Church Building Fund.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc., was in charge of arrangements.