Penelope "Penny" Constantine Bryant

Penelope (Penny) Constantine Bryant, age 100 passed away April 24, 2023, at Addington Place, Fairfield, Iowa.

Penny was born December 11, 1922, in Creston, Iowa to Constantine E. Tsitouras and Katherine Ellen (Johnson) Tsitouras. In the early 1930s her family moved back to the family farm in Plymouth County.  After graduating from Akron High School, she attended the University of Nebraska for 2 years and received her teaching certificate.  She taught for one year in Pierson, Iowa.  May 22, 1940, she married her high school sweetheart Eldon Bryant.  They rented a farm for 7 years until they could afford to buy a farm and build their home.  She was the epitome of a farmwife and mother.  She was proud to be able to produce many meals that everything was from her garden, the baked goods she made, and the meat Eldon raised.  And it was all excellent.  She sewed clothes for the children and quilted in later years.  She was active in the Adaville United Methodist Church teaching Sunday School, leading Youth Fellowship and all the Circle activities.  She was a member of Women’s Farm Bureau and Book and Thimble.  She and Eldon shared their love of travel, reading, and bird watching.  In all of these things her family was at the center.

Penny and Eldon retired to Fairfield, Iowa in 1989, to be closer to family.  Eldon continued his business the Broken Kettle Book Service.  They spent springs in New Hampshire helping in son John’s nursery.  They were active in the First United Methodist Church.  Penny’s roses graced the table at many of the May Breakfast at church.  If you stopped at her house in the summer, you went home with a bouquet.   It was a great joy to watch their granddaughters grow up.

Left to honor her memory are her children, John Bryant (Julia Cotter) of Bow New Hampshire, Curtis Bryant of Watertown, Massachusetts, and Sylvia (Dave) Fredericks of Fairfield; three granddaughters, Sarah Fredericks, Rachel Fredericks (Jeremy Fischer), and Nicole Bryant; one great-granddaughter, Adele Bryant LeTiec; and brother, John Tsitouras. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Constantine and Katherine Tsitouras; and siblings, Paul Tsitouras and JoAnn Koontz.

Visitation for family & friends will be 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 3 at Behner Funeral Home.

A private service and burial will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Fairfield Public Library Foundation or Conservation Foundation of Jefferson County.  Cards may be sent to Sylvia Fredericks, 900 East Fillmore Avenue, Fairfield, Iowa 52556.

A special thank you to Addington Place and Hospice Compassus for all the loving care for Penny.

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