Obituary of Elmer Bryson

Dr. Elmer Jesse Bryson, age 97 passed away in Pioneer, CA on Saturday, February 5, 2011. Elmer was born on March 28, 1913, at Lemoore, CA, to Samuel and Maria Bryson. He was the third of nine children. He attended Lemoore High School and graduated in 1932. While attending La Sierra College in Riverside, CA Elmer met his future wife Merle, and they were married on Aug 29, 1937. As a couple, they moved to Angwin, CA where Elmer attended Pacific Union College earning his B.S. degree in Chemistry in June, 1940. Upon graduation, the couple moved to Spokane, WA where he was employed as a chemist for Kaiser Aluminum and later for Shell Oil Company in Richmond, CA. The time came when he felt the desire to change his career, so in 1948 Elmer and Merle moved to Loma Linda, CA where Elmer began medical school at the College of Medical Evangelists which today is known as Loma Linda University - School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree in 1952, later completed his internship at Glendale Adventist Medical Center in Glendale, CA. At that time, they had 5 active children, so they were anxious to move to National City, CA where he opened up his office in family practice. He was a gentle, kind devoted practitioner who truly enjoyed his patients, and took time to listen. In those days ‘house calls' were the norm. Many times in the evening one of his children would accompany him on his house calls. Elmer and the family especially loved the desert and Death Valley camping trips. He was an avid reader, researched Bible history, and loved to study languages such as Greek, Latin and German. Eventually there was one more child added to the family and Elmer was committed to Christian education for all his children. Elmer and the family were all active members of the Paradise Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church and later the Chula Vista Adventist Church. After 28 years in practice, Elmer retired in 1980. In 1999, during retirement, Elmer and Merle moved to College Place, WA to live near Merle's two sisters and their son Jim. Elmer's library was quite impressive and he continued for recreation studying mathematics, physics and chemistry. Elmer has lived for the past three years with his daughter Elizabeth in Pioneer, CA. Elmer was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and always put others before himself. His loving wife Merle Bryson of 70 years precedes him in death in 2007 as well as their eldest son George Bryson in 1979. His parents, two sisters, Alice and Dorothy, and six brothers, Frank, Samuel "Pike", Alva, Paul, Burton, and Clarence, precede him in death. He is survived by sons - Dale and his wife, Arlene of Roseburg, OR; Jim and his wife, Esther of College Place, WA: Timothy of San Diego, CA; John and his wife, Joan of Caldwell, ID; a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Marcellus and her husband, Ace of Pioneer, CA; 19 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren Elmer will be buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery in College Place, WA next to his wife Merle, where they will be resting and waiting for the soon return of Jesus.