TONIA R. BRYAN
Died Feb. 8, 2009
Tonia Rowe Bryan, 76, Beaufort, formerly of Goldsboro, died Sunday.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church with the rector, the Rev. John Carlisto, officiating and the associate rector, the Rev. Paul Head, and the Rev. C. Thomas Midyette III assisting.
She was a 13-year cancer survivor. She was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She graduated from St. Mary's College in Raleigh and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tonia was on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Jaycee sponsored Miss North Carolina Beauty Pageant winning the hearts of both the participants and the board. While serving as chairman of Wayne County University of North Carolina Alumni Chapter in 1975, it was selected as the most outstanding chapter in Eastern North Carolina. Tonia was the first woman sales director to achieve award-winning status with fund raising products for school systems all over Eastern North Carolina which she did for several years. She was the first to hold the position of Voluntary Services Director at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro.
She was a founding Director of the North Carolina Theater Conference. She produced, directed, and starred in more than 60 productions from stage to film and television commercials from locations including Carteret County to Goldsboro, Lexington, Ky., and Tampa, Fla. She was a past member of the board of directors serving as treasurer of the Carteret County Chapter of the North Carolina Symphony.
Tonia was an avid antiques buff. She developed a love for an appreciation of antique silver and antique jewelry from fine to exquisite costume pieces. She was an antiques and collectables dealer and was sought after as an antiques appraiser for over 15 years in and around Carteret County. She was one of only 300 worldwide members of the International Elite Vintage Fashion Costume Jewelry Society headquartered in Providence, R.I.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Elisha Lewis Bryan; daughter, Tonia Bryan Glasgow of Morehead City; sons, Elisha Lewis Bryan Jr. of Dahlonega, Ga., James Carroll Bryan and wife, Tracie, of Raleigh.
She was preceded in death by her son, John Hunter Bryan.
She had six grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; and one stepgreat-grandchild.
She was the daughter of the late Senator Roy H. Rowe and the late Nina Worsley Rowe of Burgaw and is survived by a brother, Roy H. Rowe Jr. and his daughter, Catherine Rowe, of Kinnesaw, Ga. She is additionally survived by several nieces, nephews, and caregivers, Betty Hardesty, Lynn Owens, and Keri Davis.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home tonight from 6 to 8 and at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parish Hall following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 215 Ann Street, Beaufort, N.C., 28516 or American Cancer Society, 930-B Wellness Drive, Greenville, N.C., 27834.
Access online obituary and Internet condolences through brooksfuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
Arrangements are being handled by by Brooks Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., Morehead City, N.C.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on February 9, 2009 1:47 PM