Susan Bohlen Bryant

Susan Jane Bohlen Bryant was the daughter of the late Orlando and Virginia Andrews Bohlen of Moweaqua, Illinois. She was born on July 22, 1945, in Decatur, Illinois.  She attended the local school in Moweaqua and was graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.  She married Jay Bryant, a writer and television producer, in 1967.  The couple lived in four states: Maine, Illinois, Maryland and North Carolina during their 54 years of marriage.

Mrs. Bryant died on July 30, 2021 in Wake Forest, North Carolina from vascular dementia resulting from a stroke suffered in November, 2019.  A memorial service will be held to celebrate her life at the North Raleigh United Methodist Church on Tuesday, August 3 at 4:00 pm, following a private burial ceremony. It is requested that all attendees wear a face mask. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Veterans Life Center of North Carolina, 1005 9th Street, Butner, NC 27509.

She served as Director of Communications for the Office of Personnel Management of the Federal government in the administration of President George W. Bush. Prior to that, she served as Chief of Staff to the late Congressman George O’Brien of Illinois, and as President of two different companies which she helped found: Bishop, Bryant and Associates, a political consulting firm, and Research/Strategy/Management, a survey research company.  She also served as Political Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.  Upon her retirement from Federal service in 2008, she and her husband relocated to Wake Forest, NC.  In 2010, she was named Chair of the Wake County, NC, Republican Party, serving through the very successful 2012 election cycle.

She was active in the United Methodist Church wherever she lived and was President of the Rotary Club of Bladensburg, Maryland among many other charitable and community activities.  Throughout her life and career, she was known for her outsized personality and leadership ability.

She is survived by her husband and their two daughters, Amy Bryant Weaver of Smithsburg, MD and Amanda Bryant Mason of Wilmington, NC, and by five grandchildren.  She is also survived by her four siblings: Robert Bohlen of Andover, MA, Virginia Bohlen Miller of St. Louis, MO, Christopher Bohlen of Kankakee, IL and Gregory Bohlen of Chapel Hill, NC.

Arrangements by Clancy Strickland Wheeler Funeral Home, 1051 Durham Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919)556-7400

www.cswfuneralhome.com