Rev. Odis Bryan

Funeral services for Rev. Odis Bryan, 81, of Alto will be Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM in the Memorial Missionary Baptist Church at 927 Crockett St, Rusk. Officiants are the Rev. Rob Bloom, Rev. Matthew McBroom, Rev. Ronald Witcher, and Rev. Lee Flowers. Burial will follow in the Old Palestine Cemetery in Alto. There will be a visitation at the O.T. Allen & Son Funeral Home in Alto on Friday, July 11 from 6:00-8:00 PM.

Odis Bryan passed away Thursday, July 3, at his home in Alto. He was born in Jasper, Texas December 16, 1943 to William Jennings Bryan and Dovie Stringer Bryan. He grew up in Broaddus, Texas and served in the U.S. Navy after graduation from Broaddus High School.  After his Navy service, he went to Texas Baptist Institute from 1968-72, where he earned his Bachelors in 1972; he would earn his Masters from TBI in 1973, and his first Doctorate Degree in 2012.  His second doctorate from TBI was received in 2018. 

Rev. Bryan served as a minister for Missionary Baptist churches for 55 years, most recently with the Memorial Missionary Baptist Church in Rusk. He also spent 28 years as head of the Alto Housing Authority. He loved his family and singing, and had 9 CD’s of gospel songs, the vast majority of which he wrote. He also had a love of missions, and several of his CD profits went to different missions. 

Rev. Bryan is survived by wife Gail Bryan of Alto; daughter Teresa Ragland of Houston; son Nathan Bryan and wife Kim of Alto; son of the heart Kevin Ragland; sisters Sylvia Havard and husband Jack of Lufkin, Marsha Witcher and husband Ronald of Longview and Kathy Sutton of Tomball; grandchildren: Reagan Ragland, Makenzee Deeter and husband John, Aiden Bryan, Aaron Bryan and Kalen Carrell, and great grandchild Oliver Deeter.  

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his name to Hospice in the Pines of Lufkin, Memorial Missionary Baptist Church of Rusk Building Fund, or to the Memorial Missionary Baptist Church Hispanic Fund.