Nolin Dewitt Bryan

Nolin “Dewitt” Bryan

December 21, 1945 — May 11, 2026

Nolin “Dewitt” Bryan, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, passed away on May 11, 2026, at the age of 80.

Dewitt was the kind of man people felt comfortable around. Hardworking, laid back, steady, and full of quiet love. The people who knew him best knew his heart through the way he showed up, the way he laughed, and the way he made life feel lighter just by being there.

Dewitt never met many strangers. He had a way of making people feel like an old friend, even if they had just met him. Conversation with him came easy, and his laid-back nature, humor, and welcoming spirit made people feel seen, comfortable, and connected.

Dewitt attended Liberty School through the ninth grade and later graduated from Walton High School. He completed his apprenticeship in automotive machinery at Triangle Chevrolet and the Ford dealership in DeFuniak Springs before working for larger dealerships in Palm Springs, Florida, and San Diego, California. He also proudly served four years in the United States Army, earning the rank of Sergeant before receiving an honorable discharge. Later, he continued his service for four years with the National Guard. Though life and work took him across many states including Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, and much of the western United States, DeFuniak Springs always called him home.

Over the years, Dewitt worked with Lockhart, an oil and gas exploration company, before eventually returning home and opening an auto repair shop alongside his brother, Olin. Later, he opened Bryan’s Used Cars, where he spent many years serving the community through buying and selling vehicles until his retirement in 2012. Along the way, he also developed a passion for real estate, buying and restoring properties, transforming old buildings into commercial spaces and rental homes. Dewitt was always building something - a business, a project, a memory, or a life for the people he loved.

To many, Dewitt was more than a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, or friend. He was someone people leaned on. Someone who stood in the gap when it mattered most. His life was woven into the lives of so many people who loved him deeply and will miss him beyond words.

Dewitt was preceded in death by his father, James Andrew Bryan and mother, Mary Gladys Peters Bryan; son, Andrew Franklin “Frankie” Bryan; brothers Olin Douglas Bryan and James Orville Bryan; sister, Hilda Renee Bryan Davis; and nephew, Gregory Bryan.

He is survived by his loving wife, Sarah Bryan; their beloved dog, CiCi; grandchildren Corey Atchison, Susannah Bryan, Benjamin Bryan and wife, Celina Bryan, and MaKenzie Bryan; great-grandchildren Xander Bryan, Xander Clark, and Lily Rabb; nephew Jim Miller and wife, Renee’; niece Kimberly Renee Rice and husband, Rick; nephew Douglas Wayne Bryan and wife, Christine; special daughter-in-law Donna Bryan Soley; and special niece LaDawn Marse and husband, Brad Marse. Mrs. Bryan wishes to extend a special thank you to LaDawn and Brad for all their help during the past three years. You both are greatly loved. Dewitt is also survived by many family members and friends who will forever cherish the memories they shared with him.

Though loss leaves an ache that cannot be filled, his family finds comfort in the stories, laughter, love, and legacy he leaves behind.