JONESVILLE — Aldon Jay Bryant, 79, passed away Wednesday June 17, 2009 at his residence.

Mr. Bryant was born June 21, 1929 to the late Melvin & Ruth Evans Bryant Groce.

Mr. Bryant was retired as co-owner and operator of Dan Wilkins Paving Company.

He was a member of Fall Creek Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Henry Groce, and his first wife, Evon Wilkins Bryant.

Surviving are his wife, Pat Cockerham Bryant, of the home; a son Barry Lee (Sandy) Bryant, Lewisville; a daughter Karen (Joey) Memory, Knoxville Tenn.; a stepson, Keith (Melinda) Cockerham, State Road; a stepdaughter, Anita (Scotty) Darnell, Jonesville; two grandsons, Daniel (Amber) Bryant and Jeremy Bryant; two granddaughters, Kerry Memory and Kendall Memory; three step-granddaughters, Morgan Cockerham, Leah Cockerham and Chelsea Cockerham; a sister, Carolyn (Joe) Everidge; a brother Leonard (Carole) Groce.

A celebrtion of life memorial was held 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20, 2009 at Fall Creek Baptist Church by the Rev. Don Hudson. He lay in state 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial followed in the Church Cemetery.

The family received friends the day before, on Friday June 19, 2009 at Gentry Family Funeral Service in Jonesville.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Fall Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 3380 Fall Creek Church Road, Jonesville NC 28642; or to Mountain Valley Hospice, P.O. Box 1267 Yadkinville, NC 27055.

The family would like to express a very special thanks to Tonya Swaim and the staff of Mountain Valley Hospice.

Online condolences may be made at www.gentryfuneralservice.com. Gentry Family Funeral service in Jonesville is serving the Bryant family.