Rees Bryant

Rees Odeil Bryant, 94, of Kissimmee, Florida passed away on May 31, 2025, surrounded by his wife Patti Nell (Mattox) and other members of his loving family. Rees was born September 12, 1930 in Memphis, TN, the son of Emmett Odeil and Nellie (Rees) Bryant. Rees graduated from Mars Hill Bible School in Florence, AL (1948), then went on to Freed Hardeman College (Henderson, TN), and Harding College (Searcy, AR) where he graduated with a BA, English/Secondary Ed in 1952, then later earned an MA in New Testament at Harding Grad School. Rees married Patti (Mattox) on June 5,1952, and passed away just short of their 73rd anniversary. Bryant served as preaching minister at churches in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and California. He taught preacher students in the Nigerian Bible Training College, and taught Bible and Missions courses at Lubbock Christian College, Pepperdine (C.S. Lewis), Lincoln Christian College, and Florida Christian College. Rees and Patti were missionaries in Nigeria, helping to establish the Nigerian Christian Hospital and African Christian Hospitals Foundation. In the late ‘60s Nigerian/Biafran Civil War, Rees and fellow missionary Jim Massey heroically smuggled funds to beleaguered Nigerian friends, flying at night through anti-aircraft flak. Rees was a devoted student of the Bible whose focus on the subject of Christian baptism led to a doctoral dissertation (Fuller Seminary) and popular book titled Baptism: Why Wait?. Deeply interested in the work of C.S. Lewis, Bryant read the Narnia stories to his children soon after they were written and later taught a college course on the famous author called C.S. Lewis: Reluctant Believer. Rees is survived by devoted wife Patti, children Sara Jo Dusterhoft (Bruce), William Rees Bryant (Neva), David Mattox Bryant (Marcia), and Rebecca Layne Howard (Roland), eleven grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren. Celebration of Life 10 AM Friday June 6, 2005, Kissimmee Christian Church, 415 N. Main, Kissimmee, FL 34744. Memorial Donations to honor Rees may be directed to: African Christian Healthcare at healingafrica.net

Rees Bryant

September 12, 1930 - May 31, 2025