Deaconess Emeritus Mary Farmer-Bryant

The Transition from Life to Life Eternal
Mary Farmer-Bryant turned in the insurance policy for life everlasting with her Savior on January 23, 2020 at Mt. Carmel/St. Ann’s Hospital.

The Beginning of Life
On November 25, 1925 in Flintside, Georgia, the late Mr. George Lewis and Mrs. Henrietta Moreland-Lewis were wonderfully blessed with the birth of the youngest of their seven children. They went on to name her Mary.

The Learner
While Mary was unable to complete a formal education during her early years, she always understood the importance of education and earned her General Equivalency Diploma at the age of 72.

The Joy of the Lord Was Her Strength
Mary accepted the Lord as her Redeemer and the Author and Finisher of her Faith early in her life. She was a longtime member of Triedstone Missionary Baptist Church. After more than 40 years at Triedstone, she then joined New Salem Baptist Church. Until Mary gave God her final “Yes”, her current church home was Second Baptist Church. Wherever she was a member, Mary was never concerned with church work but the Work of the Church. To that end, Mary trained generations of young people to teach, to evangelize, to serve with integrity and to divide rightly the Word of Truth. She served in various ministry capacities, including Missionary, Deaconess, Bible Study Teacher, Sunday School Teacher and Sunday School Superintendent. Mary had a gift for creating unique learning opportunities that would make The Holy Bible come alive and she loved discussing the Word of God with both family and friends.

The Woman
Mary met and married Odell Farmer to whom she was married until he passed away. At the age of 80, Mary was joined in matrimony to Lora Bryant, Jr. with whom she enjoyed ten years of wedded bliss. Mary was the proud mother of two daughters – Betty Jean Walker and Jean Carolyn Cocroft.

Mary loved her family strongly and believed in the power of love and family. Her love was not just shared with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but was given willingly to anyone with whom she came in contact. She enjoyed Sunday dinners with her daughter, Jean, and the family, as well as watching her family grow. She was a wellspring of wisdom, wit and laughter and brought incalculable joy until her very last breath.

Those Who Have Gone Before and The Beneficiaries of Her Legacy
Mary was preceded in death by her daughter Betty Jean, grandson, Craig and husbands, Odell and Lora, Jr. She leaves behind to carry and cherish her legacy: devoted daughter and caregiver – Jean Carolyn and her husband (Mary’s son-in-love), James H. Cocroft; another son-in-love – Arthur L. Walker, Sr.; two nephews – Oscar Lewis and Robert Bryant; nine granddaughters – Genell Harris, Crystal Cocroft, Kelly Causey, Tammy Cocroft, Deborah Walker, Kaelyn C. Poindexter, Jennifer Clark, Kimberly Cocroft and Kristy Wallace; three grandsons – Lance Marion, Seth Walker and Arthur L. Walker Jr.; five great grandchildren – Sennica Harris, Marquell Causey, Bettye, Rashad Dowdell, Hamilton H. Poindexter and Granderson G. Poindexter; ___ great-great grandchildren – ; two godsons – Thurron Barnett and Troy Glover; one goddaughter – Makia Kambon; caring neighbors Barbara and Roy Rowland and James E. Whatley and myriad church and community friends.

Visitation 8:30 AM and Funeral Service 10:00 AM Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Second Baptist Church,186 N. 17th St.

Entombment at Union Cemetery Association.