MARLYSS J. BRYANT, 84, of Aurelia, Iowa and former longtime rural Larrabee resident, passed away Friday morning, September 6, 2013 at Cherokee Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 10th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Kwang S. Song will officiate. Burial will be in the Cedar Cemetery at Larrabee, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the funeral home on Tuesday. Visitation will be on Monday from noon until 8 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home with the family present from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. On line condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Marlyss was born August 22, 1929 at Albert City, Iowa to Albert "Bud" Meyer and Della (Berg) Meyer. She attended school at Sioux Rapids and graduated from Marathon. She was a member of the Larrabee United Methodist Church, the U.M.W., Church Circle and had taught Bible School. She was a member of the Spring Township Club and the Neighborhood Club at Larrabee. She married Bill Bryant in Storm Lake, Iowa and moved to Cherokee, later to Aurelia and then to their farm near Larrabee in 1965 until moving back to Aurelia. In 2009 Marlyss moved into Sunset Knoll Retirement Home in Aurelia. Even though she lived in many places her favorite place was the farm at Larrabee. She was a self-taught artist and taught oil painting classes for many years. Many of her paintings are displayed in homes in the area. She won countless blue ribbons at the Cherokee County Fair for baking and her oil paintings. She enjoyed her cats, her flowers and was one of the best cooks around. She loved time spent with her many friends and family, especially the grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bill on March 13, 2008, one brother Billie Meyer and his wife Charlotte, 4 brothers-in-law Glen Carlson, Rodney Miller, Bob Bryant and Dick Bryant.

She is survived by one daughter and one son: Kathy Dirkx and her husband Ardan of Storm Lake, Iowa; David Bryant of Cherokee, Iowa; 2 grandchildren: Brian and Michele Dirkx and their children Jenna and Devin of Spencer, Iowa; Kara and Trent Abrahamson and their daughter Jada of Orange City, Iowa; 3 sisters, Nila Miller of Aurelia, Iowa; Nola Carlson of Storm Lake, Iowa, Laura Weier and her husband Marlin of Linn Grove, Iowa; one sister-in-law Delores Bryant of Milford, Iowa, also many nieces and nephews.