Irvin "Don" Estes Bryant

Irvin “Don” Estes Bryant, beloved husband and father, passed away Wednesday, August 27, 2008, in Fallbrook. He was born May 18, 1917, in Truman, AR. The son of a sharecropper during the Depression years, he left home at the age of 16 and migrated to Detroit, MI.

After a two-year hitch in the Navy, he began his metalworking career at Ford Motor Company. In 1946 he moved to California, where he established Consolidated Aircraft Products, a research and instruments company, and participated in the design and development of the first electromechanical missile count-down system.

His manufacturing background led to an interest in economics that lasted a lifetime. He was recognized in “Who’s Who in the World, America, and the West” for his research in that field.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jess Ayn Bryant; daughter Patrice Ann Bryant; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by son Stephen Williamson Bryant. He was loved dearly and will be missed.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 13, at the Fallbrook Woman’s Club, 238 West Mission Road, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of the Fallbrook Library, 124 S. Mission Rd., Fallbrook, CA 92028.