John Bryans

7/21/1925 - 11/19/2024

John Bryans, age 99, of Falls Church, Virginia, died peacefully at his residence on November 19, 2024. Born in Marion, Ohio on July 21, 1925, he was the only son of Frances Kilbury Bryans and Ralph Armond Bryans. He graduated from Harding High School in Marion, Ohio. Bryans was drafted into the U.S. Army-Air Corps and was stationed at Wheeler Field, Hawaii. Following high school graduation, John worked for the Marion Star newspaper. Later, he was the editor for the base newspaper at Wheeler Field.

Following his military service, John attended the Ringling School of Art and the Burnsville Painting Classes where he was a student of Jerry Farnsworth and Frank Herring. His time in the mountains of western North Carolina later influenced him to cofound Painting in the Mountains, a summer painting school, with long-time business partner Everett Kivette. He maintained a private studio where he taught art to students of all ages, first in Arlington at Hills Art School and later in McLean, Virginia at the Mclean Arts Center. He taught in northern Virginia for over 47 years. Mr. Bryans maintained membership in many local and national arts organizations. Mr. Bryans' paintings are displayed in museums and private collections throughout the country. Mr. Bryans was a founding member of Spectrum Gallery in Georgetown, Washington, DC.

John married Christina Sanders in 1961, a union of forty-nine years which ended with Christina's death in 2009. John and Christina met in the Sanctuary Choir at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, DC and shared a lifelong love of music. They enjoyed many activities together especially those related to church and to traveling. They were members of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA and St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Burnsville, NC, where they enjoyed the home that they built on Philips Knob Road. Together they visited Morocco, Russia, Italy, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Canada. They enjoyed a cross-country train trip to visit some of America's national parks. Dad liked to "play in the dirt" and gardened at every opportunity. He had an impressive array of azaleas from around the world at his former residence in Arlington. At Goodwin House, he worked in the Knoll Garden and served on the landscape committee.

From the late 1990's through the early 2000's, Mr. Bryans served as a docent at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. He became an expert on the Cathedral's architectural features, especially the stained-glass windows. John enjoyed teaching young people about the cathedral.

Mr. Bryans is survived by his daughter, Estella Bryans, of Ouzinkie, AK; his son, Marshall Bryans, of Indianapolis, IN; two grandsons, Charles Jonathan Munson (Sarah Anouilh) of Fairfax, VA and Tyler Munson (Marissa Peck) of Williamson, NY; a great grandson, Jackson, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Frances and Ralph Bryans, his wife Christina, sister Patricia Bryans Wygant, only cousin Barbara Ritzmann, his sisters-in-law Marcia Sanders and Emily Sanders, and brothers-in-law William Wygant and William Sanders.

A memorial service will be held in March 2025. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Goodwin Living Foundation – Resident Support Fund, 4800 Filmore Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311. Goodwinliving.org/giving/donate/ select Resident Support Fund from drop down menu. Alternatively, donations may be made to the Nature Conservancy (preserve.nature.org, select donate, select other ways to give, select memorial donations, complete the donation form).

Arrangements entrusted to Everly Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Falls Church, VA.