| BRYANT,
Dr. Alma Green "Jan," God called home one of his angels, October 26,
2011, surrounded by family. Alma Bryant was a longtime resident
of Tampa. Born in Elberton, Ga., Alma grew up in Fort Valley, Ga.
She was predecesed in death by her husband, William "Bill" Bryant.
Dr. Alma Green Bryant was a member of the English Department at
the University of South Florida for 39 years. She was a graduate
of Fort Valley State College in Georgia, where she received a
bachelor's degree with honors; Columbia University, with a Master of
Arts degree; and the Unviersity of Florida with a Doctor of Education
degree. Alma was a lifelong member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Inc. and the links Inc. After concentrating on classroom teaching
for the first five years at the University of South Florida, she became
director of freshman English in 1977, a position she held for seven
years. Dr Bryant also took a two-year leave of absence to return
to her alma mater, Fort Valley State College, to become chair of its
English department. This was one of two leaves she took over the
years to serve at historically Black colleges. In 2000-2001, she
traveled to Nashville, Tenn., to serve as executive assistant to the
President of Fisk University. After her stay in Fort Valley, she
returned to USF to become co-coordinator of the new university Writing
Lab and shortly thereafter became associate chair of the department,
a position she held all in all for 12 years. In between
tours as associate chair, she also served as associate dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences at USF. At the time of her death,
she was co-ordinator of the undergraduate rhetoric and composition and
techinical writing programs. Before taking on those
responsibilities, she served in 2004-2006 as interim chair of the
department, settering the department through a difficult time of
transition with reassuring calm and evenhandedness. For all of
her administrative ability and accomplisments, Dr. Bryant was also
admired for her accomplisments in the classroom. She taught the
first course in technical at USF and one of the first graduate classes
in rhetoric and composition. She trained generations of
student-teachers in composition, many of whom she continued to be in
touch with for years after they left the university. She also
served on numerous university committees. For two years, 1978-80,
she edited, "The Florida English Journal." Outside of the university,
she was active in several different professional societies amd
accrediting associations, and also made numerous public appearances all
over the west coast of Florida. Among all her accomplishments in
the community, she was perhaps proudest of her longtime membership on
the board of trustees of University Community Hospital and the
Tarpon Springs Hospital Foundation. Alma is survived by a devoted
nephew, daughter, sister, two stepdaughters, a host of grandchildren,
nieces and nephes; and a devoted friend. Private
services will be held at Goodwill Cemetery in Fort Valley, Ga. In lieu
of flowers, please make contributions to the Susan G Kormen for the
Cure in the search for the cure. Ray Williams Funeral
Home, (813)253-3419. Published in TBO.com on October 30, 2011 |
Obituaries 2012