Bryant Moore Barron

Bryant Moore Barron died January 16, 2012 at St. Dominic Jackson Memorial Hospital. Visitation is Wednesday at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb from 5PM until 8PM and continues Thursday at Hebron Baptist Church from 1PM until services at 2PM with Rev. Walt Gaston and Dr. Randy Rich officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. He was born at home in Amite County to the late Wiley C. and Frankie Moore Barron on March 21, 1938. He was preceded in death by an older brother, Wiley W. Barron. Bryant was educated in the public school systems of East Fork, Mars Hill and Liberty, and he graduated from Liberty High School in 1955. Bryant owned and operated a dairy farm on the family's home site for four years before entering Southwest Mississippi Junior College in 1959. He graduated in 1961. He then enrolled at Mississippi State University. After one semester, he dropped out of college and moved to Gulfport, MS where he worked for J.C. Penney and Colonial Baking Company. While in Gulfport, he met his future wife, Carol, while she was in town visiting her mother who had relocated there several years earlier. At the time, Carol attended David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. They were married on December 29, 1963. Bryant had always wanted to return to college; with the help and encouragement of Carol, his dream was realized when they moved to Starkville in 1964 so Bryant could again enroll at MSU. Bryant graduated with a B. S. in Personnel Management in 1966. While there, he was a member of the Society for the Advancement of Management and Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. After graduation, he accepted employment with Ford Motor Company in Louisville, Kentucky. His other employment included personnel positions with RCA in Bloomington, Indiana, and Kellwood Company in Monticello, Mississippi. After twelve years in the Personnel Management profession, Bryant and Carol returned to Liberty where he owned and operated a Western Auto Store from 1978 to 1993. He later acquired his insurance license and worked several years with Carol at State Farm Insurance. In 1979, the happiest time of their life occurred when their daughter, Melissa, was born. Bryant said Melissa was always a great daughter and perked him up if things didn't go so well. She was truly the 'wind beneath his wings', as the song goes. He was a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Pi and Southwest Mississippi Community College Alumni Association. He was an active member of the SMCC Alumni Board for over 25 years, serving as president for two years, and he was named Alumnus of the Year in 2006. Bryant was instrumental in helping land the first Congressional District 37 Representative debate at SMCC in 2008. He has also been a booster for SMCC's track and field program. Bryant was a member of the Mississippi State Foundation, the MSU Bulldog Club, and he served in various capacities during his membership with the MSU Southwest Mississippi Alumni Association. Bryant a member of the Southwest Mississippi Forestry Association, and he served as president of the group for five years. Survivors include his wife, Carol; his daughter, Melissa, of Orlando, Florida; his Brother-in law, Fred Lindsey and wife Linda of Pulaski, Tennessee; Sisters-in-law Helen Barron of Tylertown, MS and Dotsy Barron of McComb, MS; and various cousins, nieces and nephews. Bryant said he was blessed to have such a wonderful immediate and extended family of Moores and Barrons, as well as great in-laws. He always said Fred was more like a brother to him and his wife, Linda, was like a sister to Carol. Bryant was a Christian and he loved God, his family, his tree farm, his high school classmates, SMCC and his beloved Mississippi State Bulldogs. Sometimes Carol was not sure about the exact order. He thoroughly enjoyed his family and life! Pallbearers will be Lanny Moore, Ken Barron, Charlie Floyd, Greg Wilkinson, Earl Alford and Richard Hay. Honorary pallbearers will be Liberty High School class of 1955, Southwest Mississippi Community College Alumni Association, Mississippi State Alumni Association and Southwest Mississippi Forestry Association. The family wishes to express their appreciation to the nursing staff at St. Dominic and Dr. Larry Aycock and Dr. Clay Hays, Jr.. Memorials may be sent to Hebron Baptist Church, 6157 Hebron Road, Smithdale, MS 39664.