Bryant Currier Obituary

Rev. Bryant Christensen Currier was born to George Bruce Currier and Lydia Louise Currier of Molina, CO on August 3, 1928. He died peacefully in his sleep on May 26, 2016 at home in Lawrence, Ks. He is survived by daughters Janeanne Houston of Seattle, Wa. (Mark Ahlness) and Karen Brichoux of Lawrence, Ks. (David), and his son Rev. Andrew Currier of McPherson, Ks. (Laurie). He leaves also grandchildren Evan Currier, Collin Currier, and Jessica Niemeyer (Keith). Surviving, as well, are brothers Robert Currier (Ruth) and David Currier (Cathy) and sister-in-law Peggy Currier all of Molina, CO as well as scores of nephews and nieces. Siblings who have preceded him in death, Louise Signs (Loren), Bruce Currier (Garra Dean), and Wallace Currier. Bryant grew up on the family ranch in Molina, CO, the 5th of six children. His childhood memories were vivid, and he was always so happy when he had a chance to "go home" to the ranch. He lived the life of a man who was well-loved by his family. Bryant attended Ottawa University, where he met the love of his life, Sara Jean Van Horn. They sang in the concert choir together, and although he was shy about expressing his affection, he was encouraged to do so quickly when a rival threatened to court her for himself. He told her that she would have to follow him "all over the world." She said, "I don't care, guy….and yes." They were married in the First Baptist Church of Ottawa, KS, on June 18, 1951. Bryant attended Central Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, KS while working at TWA loading baggage. His love of airplanes and flight was still on the ground, but he enjoyed being around planes and the excitement of travel. Sara Jean taught elementary music education and choir classes for K-8 grades until she became pregnant with their first child. After seminary, Bryant's first churches were small ones in Deer Trail, CO and in Easton, KS. In Easton, Janeanne was born on Easter Sunday, a story he loved to tell. While serving the First Baptist Church of Superior, Nebraska, Andrew was born a few days after Christmas. While serving and loving the church in Superior, Bryant felt called to foreign missionary service, something he had pledged to do while he was in college. He and Sara Jean left Superior in 1960, and were the last American Baptist missionaries assigned to the mission field in Burma. They set sail from New York City to Liverpool on the Queen Mary with their young family, and in the company of the Billy Graham crusade team. Life would never be quite the same. They arrived in Burma six weeks later, after a long ride on a much less glamorous ship that took them through the Suez Canal, and two dock strikes in Sudan and Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). In Burma, after language study, Bryant and Sara Jean were assigned to a rural area where they were the only Americans. They home-schooled their children, grew food crops, and made a home out of a towering old mission house that had been a bunker for Japanese soldiers during WWII. He devised a pump-based water system, incubated chickens under warm lights, and did his best to create a home for his family far away from home. He began outreach and missions programs with the local pastors, and evangelized in neighboring villages. Sara Jean acquired a pump organ and provided accompaniment for hymns in the church, where there was an engaged congregation who enjoyed singing. Just as they were feeling on top of things in Burma, they and all foreign workers were deported from the country after a military regime took control of the government. Embassies were closed, and the country became isolated. Bryant and Sara Jean returned to the US temporarily and lived in Ames, Iowa while waiting for reassignment. They were reassigned to the central Philippines in 1967. Sara Jean was pregnant with their third child when they left the US, this time by Boeing 747. Karen was born while they lived in Iloilo City undergoing language study. They eventually settled in Bacolod City on the island of Negros where they joined the faculty of Convention Baptist Bible College and taught classes in ministry, Bible, horticulture, and music. Bryant put his Iowa State University horticulture and ag implement classes to good use building windmills and tractors, and creating fields for sweet potatoes, peanuts, papayas, and bananas. He also taught students how to marcot and divide plants for food and ornamental use. Bryant and Sara Jean retired from the mission field in 1991 and returned to the US. Advocates for missions, Bryant and Sara Jean traveled and presented the cause of foreign missions in churches. They were called to the First Baptist Church of Waverly, KS, where they served as pastor and music director until their retirement in 2002. After the death of Sara Jean's father, Percy Van Horn, they sold their house in Waverly and moved to the family farm in Wellsville, where they also became members of New Hope Baptist Church. Bryant served on the Alumni Board of Ottawa University, and he and Sara Jean enjoyed meeting the new students on move-in day. After Sara Jean's death in 2009, Bryant remained on the farm until his health no longer permitted it. He has been living in Lawrence, KS, near his daughter, Karen, and son-in-law, David. He lived a very rich and full life, but it was never quite the same after he lost his teammate, Sara Jean. She had a handwritten Bible verse above the sink on the farm that meant a lot to Bryant who lingered over it every day as he washed dishes: But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles,They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk, and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31 (RSV)

A memorial service is scheduled for June 2, 2016 2:30 PM at the First Baptist Church of Ottawa. In lieu of flowers, remembrances suggested to: Bryant and Sara Jean Currier Scholarship Fund at Ottawa University, Ottawa, KS or to: International Ministries, American Baptist Churches, USA, tagged for Convention Baptist Bible College, Bacolod City, Negros, Philippines and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts F.H., PO Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences to family may be sent through www.lamb-roberts.com.