Lawrence "Larry" Bryant died peacefully following a brief illness at 90 years of age on Sept. 30, 2026, in Bellevue, WA, surrounded by family. Larry was born in New Deal, Montana, August 9, 1936. His family moved to Portland, Oregon during WWII. He loved horses and learned how to shoe them. His earnings enabled him to buy a car and share that luxury with neighborhood pals.

He joined the military young, first enlisting in the Army and within a matter of months, transferring to the Air Force. Larry was based at McChord in Tacoma. His area of expertise was avionics, and later electronics. In the early 60s, he worked on the enormous AN/FSQ-7 Combat Direction Central computer that occupied an entire floor and was used for ground-controlled interception as part of the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) network during the Cold War. Larry easily ascended to leadership positions and took advantage of several educational opportunities afforded him by the military.

In 1955, Larry met fellow Air Force member Janice Wells, his future sweetheart and wife. They married that November and enjoyed 56 years together, raising two children. Family vacations were frequent, and once the nest was empty, their travels took them to Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and on a few Alaskan cruises.

In his subsequent civilian career, he became head of Pierce County's Communications Division, overseeing and working alongside a team that installed and repaired police radios and related equipment. He also helped design and install Tacoma and Pierce County's former 911 center. Remarkably, he climbed the transmitter tower on Gold Mountain more than once in the dead of winter to repair critical communications equipment. He also serviced a remote repeater station on a 4,000-foot ridge near Buckley, sometimes traveling by helicopter when winter snow made the access road impassable. During his final nine years with Pierce County, he served as manager of Emergency Management's Radio Communications Division, overseeing the installation of microwave infrastructure at repeater sites to provide radio coverage throughout the county. He retired in 1998 after 25 years of service.

Decades ago, when TVs had tubes, he repaired them for friends. Larry was always willing to lend a helping hand, asking nothing in return--repairing appliances, installing ceiling fans, and other fix-it jobs for seniors, friends, and acquaintances.

Friends told jokes just to hear his infectious laugh. He was the life of the party and made many friends throughout his military career and during fishing trips to Tahsis, British Columbia. Following his wife's death in January 2012, he divided his time between Ferndale, Washington, where he spent his spring and summer months, and Sun City West, Arizona, where he enjoyed the fall and winter months. He also loved taking his family on ocean cruises.

Larry was a member of the Elks Club and helped construct one of the local lodges. Fishing, crabbing, and boating were a big part of his retirement. A diehard fan of the Mariners, he also enjoyed watching the Seahawks, and played many a round of golf with friends over the years.

Larry is survived by his children, Mike Bryant (Janet) and Sheri Liguori (Peppe); grandchildren, Marcello Liguori and Lauren Bahm (Alex); and sisters, Dorcas Woodin (Barry) and Sharon Hill.