Martha Jane Bryan was born November 23rd, 1924 in Kansas City MO to Edith and Arthur Barnby. Growing up she had a horse named Nancy. She loved to reminisce about all the wonderful times she had riding her beloved horse. She graduated from Liberty High School in 1942. On December 24th, 1944 she married her husband Benjamin Bryan while he was on a 3 day leave from the Navy. At the time the state of Missouri had a three day waiting period to obtain a marriage license. Kansas did not have a waiting period. That day they started their marriage ceremony in a Kansas City, MO church. When it came time for the legal portion of their ceremony Martha Jane, Benjamin, the minister, and one witness hopped in a car and drove right over the state line to Kansas City, Kansas where they stood on a street corner and the minister pronounced them husband and wife. They then drove back to the church to finish the ceremony. After they were married Benjamin returned to his ship and Martha Jane moved to Seattle, Washington where his home port was. While there she worked in the Defense Plant. After WWII in 1946 they moved back to Kansas City, Missouri where she started her family. In 1948 she gave birth to a son, Kenneth Bryan. They took on a huge project in 1951 and started building their own home. All of the labor was done by them. Then in 1953 she gave birth to a daughter, Connie Bryan Wahlen. She worked as a secretary for various insurance companies until her retirement. She had an amazing work ethic which she passed on to her children and grandchildren. At the age of 40 she started flying lessons. She took great pride that she was able to complete a solo flight. Her favorite pastimes were traveling and gardening. Every summer she would embark on a road trip with her husband and children, when they were young, and then when they had grown up her and Benjamin continued traveling. She loved the Southwest and truly loved Colorado. She was able to take 2 trips to the United Kingdom. She loved sharing pictures and stories of her travels with everyone she met. Her gardens were always impeccable. She spent countless hours, sometimes well into the evening using a flashlight to finish tending to her roses, strawberries, and her wonderful tomatoes. She was the happiest when surrounded by her Boston terriers and her family. Always willing to teach gardening and baking techniques. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren and then great grandchildren run and play in her yard. She took every chance she could to have her family around her. Sunday's were reserved for family dinners of roast and beans followed by ice cream and watermelon. Holidays and birthdays were always spent together. She would bake her delicious homemade pies and cookies. All of her grandkids knew there was always a hug, a million kisses, and cookies in the cupboard. Her house always felt like home. She was very proud of her family, and always made sure they knew how much they meant to her.
Martha Jane was proceeded in death by her beloved husband Benjamin Bryan, and her daughter Connie Bryan Wahlen. She is survived by her son, Kenneth Bryan and wife Martha of Kansas City, 1 nephew, 7 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grand daughter.