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Annie Kate Jones Bryant, of New Canton, passed away on Aug. 16, at age 89. She was born on Feb. 22, 1935 in Cumberland County, and raised on her family’s cattle farm in Buckingham County. Annie graduated from Marshall District High School in Buckingham County and she attended Longwood College in Farmville. On June 26, 1955, she married her high school sweetheart, Robert Earl Bryant, with whom she spent the next 66 years until his passing in 2022.

After marrying, Annie and Robert started a family and raised two children, Mark and Lois. Robert’s career with the C&O Railway and CSX took Annie, Robert, and the family to Columbia, South Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; and Baltimore, Maryland. In Maryland, Annie was able to finish her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education at Morgan State University and she then taught for many years in the Baltimore County School System.

After retiring, Annie and Robert moved back to Buckingham County in 1986 to live on their farm and, in 1988, Annie assisted Robert in founding the Buckingham Branch Railroad, a short line freight railroad that, under their guidance, grew from a tiny 17.3 mile long railroad with two employees to its size today of 280 miles of track with 90 employees, now the largest short line railroad in Virginia. Annie was very active in the early years of the railroad setting up and managing the accounting systems, acting as the BB’s first Freight Agent, helping set up and manage Human Resources, and many other things. As co- owner of the BB, Annie remained active in the railroad well into her eighties.

In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution honoring Annie and Robert for starting and developing the Buckingham Branch Railroad and for their exceptional service to the Commonwealth by restoring rail lines, strengthening transportation infrastructure, and doing so with honesty, integrity, and strength of character.

Annie loved life in the country and loved living on a farm. She loved walking on the farm and helping care for her and Robert’s small herd of Angus cattle as well as the many other farm animals they had.

She also loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Annie is remembered as a very kind and considerate person who treated everyone with respect and dignity. And she had a great sense of humor.

Central to Annie’s life was her Christian faith and her church, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school and was a member of the WMU (Women’s Missionary Union).

Annie was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Earl Bryant; her father, Angelo Burnett Jones; her mother, Kate Carter Jones; and brothers, Bruce Randolph Jones, James Burnett Jones and Peter Heywood Jones. 

She is survived by her children, Robert Mark Bryant and Lois Bryant Frank (Tom); four grandchildren, Kyle Bryant Frank (Gabi), George Connor Frank, Hanna Frank Fountain (Jeff) and Audrey Marie Frank; two great grandchildren, Robert Bryant “Bo” Fountain and Georgette Labrecque Frank; sister, Doris Jones Keller; and brother, Joel Lee Jones (Anne).

A funeral service will be held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 6277 Cartersville Road, New Canton, on Monday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m., followed by committal in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends and relatives at Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Sunday, Aug. 25 from 4 to 5 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 6277 Cartersville Road, New Canton, VA 23123.