Neva Jane (Stout) Bryant

Neva Jane (Stout) Bryant

July 29, 1948

July 29, 2025

Sierra Vista-Neva Jane (Stout) Bryant, 77, a long-time resident of Sierra Vista, Arizona, “But always a West Virginian”  went to her Heavenly Home on July 29, 2025 to spend eternity with B. J., her soulmate who passed away March 22, 2018 and all the rest of her loved ones.

Janie, as she was known to family and friends, was born on July 29, 1948, in Charleston, West Virginia and was a daughter of the late Garland Lee “Jim” Stout and Viva Dean (Nichols) Stout. They resided in Charleston for 10 years until her father re-enlisted in the United States Army some years after having served during WW II. They lived at Fort Knox, Kentucky and then came to Fort Huachuca, Arizona , on December 31, 1962. Upon her father’s retirement the family made their home in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Janie graduated from Buena High School in 1966, and a week later began working as a Federal civil service employee at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. She later worked at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona before moving to Santa Monica, California, and working in Los Angeles for a computer corporation. Her first marriage was short- lived and she returned to Sierra Vista and resumed work at Fort Huachuca. Her last position was secretary to the General, US Army Intelligence Center and School.

A friend introduced her to his supervisor, Billy Joe Bryant, and the romance began.They not only became each other’s best friend but they were soulmates. Both had sworn never to marry again, she having bee single for 10 years before they did marry. B. J. changed his mind and asked her three times to marry him, before she finally said yes. He loved to tell everyone he kept asking until she agreed to marry him just so he would shut up. B. J. and Janie were married on Friday, May 11, 1979, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and enjoyed a life of love, laughter, and travel before his passing. She said she died on that day too. Their 39th anniversary was just short of two months after his death, and she always said “No matter how much time God gives you with the love of your life, it is never enough.” They traveled the world together, both for B.J.’s work and also for fun and leisure, making many memories along the way. Janie was a caregiver to her father, mother, and her late husband.

Janie loved God, her husband, her family, CHOCOLATE, reading, making stained glass projects, crocheting, crewel, embroidery, sewing, machine embroidery, gardening, canning rock and country music. She received great joy in giving away her completed projects, keeping very few for herself. Her greatest passion though was genealogy. She began researching long before it was a fad and long before computers became research aids, traveling to many states and counties gathering documentation of her various lines.  B. J. often said most women wasted their time shopping but Janie was happiest in cemeteries, libraries, state archives and courthouses. Long before DNA became a ‘thing” she helped reunite two women who had been adopted at birth to find their biological families. Their joy at being reunited was her fee. She published numerous family lineage books and twp surname quarterlies. She was along-time member of the Tombstone Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution, having held both chapter and state offices. She was also a member of the National Society United States Daughters of 1812.

Janie was preceded in death by her parents, her father Garland, in1994, her mother, Viva in 2013, her brother, Gary Lee Stout, who died in 1984, and her husband B. J. Bryant. She is survived by her Birman cat, Oliver Twist, her constant companion.

Family and friends are asked to meet on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery 1300 Buffalo Soldier Trail for committal services in the chapel at 10:00 am.

Neva is full of joy once again now that she has been reunited with all those she loved and cherished and those who loved and cherished her. Interment will be with her husband at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

“Together on Earth and in Heaven.”  “Two hearts one soul.”

Hatfield Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.   

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