1950's mommy

Stella V. Bryant, who raised 10 children while following her Air Force husband to duty stations around the globe, went to sleep early Friday and never woke up. Stella, 92 years old, died on her terms, in her own bed, in her own home, without beeping hospital machines, invasive tubes, and hovering doctors. She died 20 years after the death of her husband, John H. Bryant Sr.

Stella, a native Southern Californian, enjoyed puttering around her Allandale neighborhood gardens, protecting her flowers and plants from the chill of Austin winters and the heat of the summers. She lived with the youngest of her children, Cathy a special needs adult who brought Stella her daily newspaper and a blanket when it was chilly. Stella, in turn, bathed, clothed and fed Cathy after her daughter emerged from the kitchen cupboard with the day’s chosen meal items in hand.

After losing her husband, Stella found solace in frequent visits from her children, both those in Austin and the ones who had moved to her own native land of Southern California. She hesitantly took up residence in the “paw-paw” chair enjoyed by her husband, where, remote in hand, she followed the exploits of her favorite baseball team, the San Diego Padres, as well as the two baseball Texas teams and any team that had former Padres players on its roster. She took pride in her ability to master her digital video recorder, which she begrudging accepted as a replacement for stacks of old VHS cassettes that featured her favorite soap operas, comedies, and ball games. She also mastered a series of camcorders, which she used to document holiday gatherings and her finest blooms. Her early TV camera work gave birth to the famous “mama shot,” when she inadvertently left the record button on and captured fast-panning shots of the floor.

Stella is survived by nine of her 10 children, John Bryant of Carlsbad, Ca., Elizabeth Bryant of Murrieta, Ca., and Atlanta, Ga., Tommy Bryant of Poway, Ca., and her Austin children, Robert Bryant, Patricia Bryant, Steve Bryant, Bill Bryant, Maggie Bryant and Cathy Bryant. Her son, Jim Bryant, died in November. Stella is also survived by her two remaining siblings, Tom Stoffel of Vista, Ca., and Vivian Stoffel of Murrieta, Ca., as well as approximately 14 grandchildren, 10 great-great grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Stella, always proud of her Native American heritage, was a part of the Juaneno Tribe of Mission San Juan Capistrano of Orange County. As a child, she attended the mission school for tribal children. She later was graduated from Oceanside High School, and worked as a typesetter for the Oceanside Blade-Tribune.  Stella, who told stories of rooftop vigils watching for enemy planes after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, met her future husband at a USO dance in Oceanside.