Obituaries

Sharon Ann Cate Bryant, 78, of Maryville, passed away peacefully on the twenty-second of June 2023. Her receiving of friends and funeral service will be held at [noon on Monday, the twenty-sixth of June] at Friendsville Friends Church in Friendsville, with Scott Knight officiating. Burial will follow at the Friendsville Friends Church Cemetery immediately following the service. Arrangements are made by Memorial Funeral Home of Maryville. Sharon was born in Friendsville to Hu Allen Cate and Marie Gregg Cate on September 3rd, 1944. She went to Friendsville Academy and was in the class of 1962. She graduated from Carson Newman College with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1966 and was a member of Delta Omicron and the Acapella Choir. She married Robert A. Bryant on June 15th, 1968, at Friendsville Friends Church. Sharon spent many years working as a music director in different schools and overseas, bringing the joy of music to children in Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and in many states across the US. She felt especially blessed with the opportunity to visit Israel. She was active in her faith, attending church at Friendsville Friends where she led the musical service and was active in the choir. Sharon was very active in her life, participating often with community choral groups. Her life was blessed with strength and joy, and she persevered even in the face of adversity. Sharon is preceded in death by parents Hu Allen Cate and Marie Gregg Cate; husband Robert A. Bryant; and daughter in law Missy Bryant. Sharon is survived by children Colin Bryant and Christie Bryant; brother Carroll Cate; grandchildren Jordan Farris Bohannon, Robert Wm. Bryant, and Shiloh Bennett-Bryant; and great grandchildren Tyr Farris Bohannon and Atreus Farris Bohannon. In lieu of flowers, donations toward the funeral and burial services may be sent to Memorial Funeral Home. The family of Sharon Bryant would like to extend our sincere thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Neuro Critical Care unit at University of Tennessee Medical Center for their care in her final moments.