Donna Maryte Bryant

Donna Maryte Bryant (Maciuzevicius) was born to her father and Natalia Maciulevicus on July 14, 1948, in Hanau, Germany. She passed away surrounded by her loved ones on November 18, 2025, in the comfort of her home.

Donna’s life began far from Oklahoma, in the tight grip of a socialist Lithuania that shaped her backbone and her blunt, unflinching way of moving through the world. She grew up under conditions that demanded grit, and she carried that grit with her for the rest of her days. She spoke fluent Lithuanian and German.

She met the love of her life, Jim while he was serving overseas in Germany. Their parents didn’t approve, so her brother signed the paperwork that allowed them to marry. They said their vows in Durant on February 11, 1967, beginning a lifelong partnership.

Her journey to the United States was as stark as it was brave. She was dropped off in New York unable to speak English, then flew to Tulsa and caught a bus to Newcastle.

She and Jim raised their children, Debbie and Al, in Newcastle. She lived simply and humbly. She didn’t volunteer stories about her past, but you could see the history in her hands, her work ethic, and the way she faced her problems without flinching. She was a wonderful cook, known for hearty meals that felt like home. And everyone knew the rule: if you didn’t want the truth, don’t ask Donna. She didn’t sugar-coat, didn’t soften, didn’t dodge. But behind that plainspoken honesty was a kind and gentle heart.

For many years she worked at the Easy Shop “Café” in Newcastle, cooking and running the store. Countless people knew her from behind that counter, where her toughness, her humor, and her steady presence became part of the rhythm of the town.

Donna was a loving, playful and competitive grandma who taught her grandchildren, Cole and Cody, valuable life lessons through her “Not taking it easy” on them.  She loved on them, raced, played board games (yes she beat them) and so much more.  Granny’s deep care defined her love for them.

Donna lived a life carved out of difficulty and shaped by endurance. She left behind a legacy of honesty, hard work, and love that ran deeper than the words she ever spoke aloud. Her family and community will remember her not just for what she survived, but for the solid, no-nonsense warmth she carried every day.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband James Edward “PeeWee” Bryant; her son Algis “Al” Giovanni Bryant; brothers Urgus Maciulevicus and Aegis Maciulevicus; father-in-law W.O. Bryant; mother-in-law Erma Bryant; sisters-in-law Willa Faye Clay and Iva Mae Bouldin; and brother-in-law Bud Bryant.She is survived by her daughter Debbie and husband Todd Lemons of Blanchard; grandsons Cole Lemons and fiancé Kindle, and Cody Lemons and fiancé Kate; sisters-in-law Vicky Bryant, Margie and husband Mickey Brown; Jeannie and husband Terry Stone; and numerous other special family members and friends.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Elara Caring Hospice for the compassion they showed to Donna over the years.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Friday, November 21, 2025, at the Blanchard Cemetery. Visitation for friends and family will be from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the funeral home. Arrangements are under the direction of Eisenhour Funeral Home of Blanchard. Online obituary and guestbook are available at www.eisenhourfh.com.