Newspaper article (13 Oct 1957):

A. Z. Bryan

Active Mason Ran Insurance Agency

From The Blade Correspondent

LIBERTY CENTER, O., Aug. 13 - A. Z. (Artie) Bryan, 79, died yesterday in his home here after a 2-year illness.

A lifelong resident, he had owned the Bryan Insurance Co. for 25 years, retiring in 1953. He previously had owned a hardware store here for 17 years. Mr. Bryan also had been a traveling salesman for a Toledo wholesale hardware firm for five years.

He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. In 1950 he was presented a 50-year membership pin in the Masonic Lodge.

Surviving are a stepson, Leo J. Eggert, Toledo; half-brother, Jett Bryan, Liberty Center; half-sister, Mrs. Vane Saul, Liberty Center, and two grandchildren.

Services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. in the residence. The body is in the home where Masonic rites will be held Wednesday at 8 p.m. Burial will be in Young Cemetery.

Obituary:

A. Z. Bryan

Arthur Z. Bryan, son of the late A. Z. and Ett (Lamb) Bryan was born in Liberty Center, O., on March 23, 1878 and spent the most of his life in the area of his birth.

He departed this life at his home in Liberty Center following an illness of about two years, on Aug. 12, 1957 having attained the age of 79 years, 4 months and 29 days.

Mr. Bryan was united in marriage to Katherine Dupoy who preceded him in death in 1947.

He leaves to mourn his passing, one half-sister, Mrs. Bessie Saul of Liberty Center; one stepson, Leo Eggert and two grandchildren of Toledo; one nephew, Bryan Saul and two nieces, Mrs. Hilda Spiess of Liberty Center and Virginia Beck of Toledo and other relatives and friends.

He began his business career by working for his father in a grocery store. After a few years of traveling following his young adult life throughout the west and south he returned to Liberty Center where he entered the hardware business in 1910. Mr. Bryan established a reputable trade and in 1920 he sold the store and entered the insurance field and continued in this work until his retirement after 26 years of doing business on the same corner.

Artie, as he was familiarly known was the oldest businessman in Liberty Center and became one of the most familiar figures in the long history ot this town’s growth and progress. Bryan received his 50 year pin from the Masonic Lodge in 1950 and at the time of his death had over 57 years of service to the lodge.

Artie was a familiar figure to the rural area about Liberty ever enjoying the countryside surrounding his birthplace. He will he missed and the community in general paid their respects and tribute to his passing.

Services were conducted from the residence on Aug. 15. 1957 at 2 o’clock, with the Rev. David L Eichar, pastor of the Methodist Church, officiating with burial in Young's Cemetery.