Ira Wayne Bryant's Obituary
Ira Wayne Bryant Sr. was born in Wauchula, Florida, on May 21, 1941, to Blaine Garrard Bryant and Elvia Lucille Williams. Mr. Bryant was known for his numerous professional accomplishments across multiple fields. A long-time resident of Lakeland, he was living in Hope Mills, North Carolina, and died January 12, 2026, in nearby Dunn.
Mr. Bryant held the rank of Captain with the Lakeland Fire Department, where he served from 1962 to 1976. He later worked as an Arson Investigator for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office from 1977 to 1978 and was a charter member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Auxiliary from 1971 to 1975. He served as State Director of the Montana Fire Services Training School from 1978 to 1981 and subsequently became the Public Fire Safety Education Coordinator for the Alaska State Fire Marshal’s Office in 1981.
Later, he worked at Kaparuk in the oil fields near Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope of the Brooks Range, serving as an Assistant Fire Chief. He was a licensed Private Investigator in three states—Alaska, Montana, and Florida—and was recognized as an expert in fire investigations. He served as Fire Chief, Building Official, and Zoning Officer for the City of Red Lodge, Montana, from 1987 to 1991.
Mr. Bryant graduated from Polk Community College with both Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of South Florida and attended Rollins College pursuing a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice. In the mid-1970s, he helped establish and taught in the Fire Science Degree Program at Polk State College. He also taught Fire Science at the College of Great Falls in Montana and at Anchorage Community College in Anchorage, Alaska.
Mr. Bryant was deeply involved in community service. He worked with the Lakeland, Florida, Chapter of the American Red Cross as a First Aid Instructor Trainer and provided first aid instruction to more than 10,000 individuals over a 14-year period. He later became Chairman of the Red Cross First Aid Program. He served on the Supervisory Committee for the Lakeland Employees Federal Credit Union and on the City of Lakeland Charter Revision Committee. He was President of the Polk County Fire Mutual Aid Association, served as City of Lakeland United Fund Chairman, and was a member of the City’s Safety Committee. He also served as President of the Florida Fire Service Training Improvement Conference. In 1989, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Montana State House of Representatives.
Mr. Bryant retired as a First Sergeant from the U.S. Army National Guard after more than 26 years of service. He began his military career in 1958 with the U.S. Air Force, serving six years, including two years in North Africa. He later served with the Montana Air National Guard, Alaska Army National Guard, Montana Army National Guard, Florida Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve. He was a Vietnam Era Veteran.
He returned to Lakeland in 1993 and again worked for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as a Fraud Detective. After leaving that position, he started a corporation and later worked as an academic teacher for the Florida State Prison System for two years. At the time of his death, he formerly owned a corporation, Quest Unlimited Inc.
Mr. Bryant was a fifth-generation Floridian, one-eighth Cherokee Native American, and a member of Choestoe Baptist Church in Blairsville, Georgia. He was a member of the Master Masons, Scottish Rite, and the American Legion. He was a volunteer member of the Union County Fire Department as a Training Officer, an honorary lifetime member of Station 3, and a former member of the North Georgia Honor Guard.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia “Patti” A. Bryant of Hope Mills, North Carolina; son Major Ira W. Bryant Jr., U.S. Army (Retired), and his wife, Lyzette, of Lakeland, Florida; daughters Dina L. Brooks and her husband, Shane, of Hernando, Florida; Kimberly A. Bryant of Kapaa, Hawaii; Mira R. Kuni and her husband, Mike, of Helena, Montana; adopted son Shane L. Bryant of Sheridan, Wyoming; daughter Heather Wild of Anchorage, Alaska; stepdaughters Wendy Stewart and her husband, Steve, of Murphy, North Carolina, and Kristi Smith and her husband, James, of Hope Mills, North Carolina; and stepson Eddy Edwards and his wife, Cyndi, of Savannah, Texas. He is also survived by many grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Ira Wayne Bryant Sr. will be held at 9:30 a.m. on January 30, 2026, at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Home, Southside Chapel (1727 Bartow Rd), in Lakeland, Florida. Interment will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Florida National Cemetery (6502 SW 102nd Ave) in Bushnell, Florida. Additional information about Ira’s life and professional accomplishments is available at https://www.irabryant.com.
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