Eloise Kennemore Bryson

Eloise Bryson, 90, passed away on October 5th, 2024. She entered into rest with Jesus surrounded by family. Born in Greenville, SC on November 2, 1933, Eloise was the daughter of the late Ervin and Ruby Kennemore. She was a graduate of Furman University, where she completed degrees in both Elementary Education and Music Education. She and her late husband Larry met while they were both students at Furman. Married a day after her graduation on June 4,1956, Eloise and Larry started their life together living in a basement apartment at her grandmother’s house. They soon embarked on a winding journey of ministry. Their calling took them to Raleigh, NC where Eloise taught strings at various schools, to Warrenton and then to Cherokee, where Eloise started a kindergarten at the church that Larry pastored, to Memphis where she taught Kindergarten, to Atlanta where she taught in the Gwinnett County school system, to Columbia where she taught in Winnsboro, and finally back to the upstate of South Carolina, where she taught 3rd grade and started a strings program in the Oconee County Schools. Eloise had a lifelong love for music. She understood that music spoke a language of praise that sometimes words themselves could not capture. An accomplished violinist, she started learning to play during her middle school years. While at Furman she played in the Greenville Symphony Orchestra and joined the Greenville Music Club. After returning to Greenville in 1990, she continued her membership in the Music Club, serving as President of the club from 2003-2005, and served in many other capacities as well, including the scholarship committee and the membership committee. She made the name tags for Music Club meetings, continuing to do so this year. Eloise played in the Foothills Philharmonic for several years and taught private strings lessons to adults. She imparted her love of music to her children and enjoyed playing the piano with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Eloise was a remarkably strong and loving wife, mother, Nana, and Granna. She faced down difficult days in her later years with a resilience, hope, and joy that could only come from her deep faith in Jesus. Baptized as a child at Augusta Road Baptist Church, she consistently lived her faith throughout her life. Eloise taught Sunday School, served as WMU Director, served alongside Larry as a missionary family to the Cherokee, was a faithful member of Earle Street Baptist Church and a regular online attender of First Baptist Church of Chester. Such an abiding faith and remarkable strength allowed her to live independently with hope for the future and a full calendar of fun until the day she entered into rest with Jesus. Eloise was preceded in death by her husband, Larry, her two sons Richard (Rick) Bryson and Charles (Chuck) Bryson, her parents, Ervin and Ruby Hand Kennemore, and her brother Douglas (Doug) Kennemore. She is survived by her daughter Kathryn L. Waldrip (Clay) of Chester, SC, her daughter-in-law Sharon Bryson of Perrysburg, Ohio, 7 grandchildren, Kristen Beam (Zach), Justin Bryson (Nicole), Alex Bryson (Jen), Kimberly Bryson (Eddy), Rebecca Lambird (John), Jacob Waldrip (Brittani), and Matthew Waldrip (Amanda); and 17 great grandchildren, Bryson and Lincoln (Kristen and Zach); Talyn and Bennett (Alex and Jen); Jack and Ellie (Justin and Nicole); Anaya (Kim and Eddy); Ellie, Addie, Nathaniel, and Ruth (Rebecca and John); Reggie, Cam, Jocoby, and Karter (Jacob and Brittani); and Hudson and Noah (Matthew and Amanda), and her sister-in-law Barbara Kennemore and nephews Devin and Paul and nieces Linda and Pam The family will receive friends at Barron Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, from 6:00 PM until 7:30 PM. The funeral service for Eloise will be held at Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina on Thursday October 10, 2024 at 11:00 AM with Rev. Clay Waldrip, Rev. Jacob Waldrip, and Rev. Stephen Clyborne officiating and the family will receive friends prior to the service also at the church beginning at 10:00 AM. Entombment will be held at 1:00 PM Thursday at Woodlawn Cemetery Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Chester, PO Box 518 Chester, SC 29706 or Earle Street Baptist Church, 225 W.Earle Street Greenville, SC 29609 Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barronfuneralhome.com.