Bryce Willman Obituary

Bryce Kenneth Willman, age 89, died peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, in the comfort of his home and family following a 14-year illness with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).

Bryce was born on September 15, 1935, in Hartford City, Indiana, to Kenneth Raymond and Marguerite Elizabeth Clamme Willman and was the eldest of his four siblings. He is survived by his brother, John Nolan Willman (Joanne Willman, deceased) of Hartford City, IN and his youngest sister, Carol Willman Millspaugh (Max Millspaugh) of Largo, FL, and was preceded in death by his sisters, Janet Willman Reed (Phillip Reed) and Melba Willman Schooley (Robert Schooley) and their spouses.

Graduating from Hartford City High School, he attended Ball State University and graduated with a Degree in Business and Accounting and married Barbara Sue Smith (of Hartford City, IN). Responding to a higher calling, he and Barbara began a lifelong career of service and dedication to the Lutheran Church. Bryce began his career in 1968 as the Business Administrator of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa, and then in 1988, was appointed as the Assistant to the Bishop of the Southeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), serving primarily with Bishop Paul Werger. He also served as the Business Administrator for the First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids, IA, and as a Representative for Lutheran Brotherhood. Bryce was a man of deep faith, with a liberal Christian theology and world view - inclusion of the poor and marginalized, doing good works, acceptance and lack of judgment, love, justice, and compassion. His role as an administrative leader was to make the church writ large and its missions actually "happen." He loved this work; it was his passion. In his later years, he and Barbara retired and relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Bryce loved his wife, children, and grandchildren and was their most ardent and loyal fan, attending as many of their school and life events and sporting matches as possible, from baseball to basketball to tennis. He loved music and sang and played piano and organ. He was proud and moved by the activities for children at Camp Shalom in Maquoketa, IA, for which he raised funds and participated in its initial construction. He loved to play golf with his family and friends – playing well into his illness from PSP - and to read and to travel. One of his greatest delights was having his multigenerational family together, for holidays and Sunday dinners. As one of the longest known survivors of PSP, he fought his disease valiantly for many years through intensive physical therapy, expert medical care, a positive attitude, and his faith, maintaining an active life until his last two years. His courage and determination in the face of such a devastating illness inspired all those who knew him, and his family will be forever grateful to his medical and rehabilitation teams at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, led by Drs. Sarah Pirio Richardson, MD and Deborah Doerfler, PT, PhD.

Bryce is survived by his wife, Barbara and his daughter, Cheryl Willman (Ross Zumwalt) of Albuquerque, NM and Rochester, MN, and son, Randall Willman (Julie Acker Willman) of Iowa City, IA. Bryce's grandchildren include Christopher Todd Zumwalt, Tenley Ann Zumwalt, Scott Willman (Vanessa), and David Willman Zumwalt (Lauren); his great-grandchildren are Nolan James Michael Willman and Parker Marie Willman, and he is survived by many nieces and nephews. Bryce was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Karen Sue Willman (1963) and his grandson, Matthew Robert Willman (2019).

The family would like to extend their tremendous appreciation to his long-term medical teams at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, a caregiver in his later years Rosa Villa, and Bosque Trails Hospice of Albuquerque, NM.

Memorials in Bryce Willman's name and memory may be sent to:
• Lutheran World Relief (www.lwr.org)
• Bosque Trials Hospice (www.bosquetrailshospice.com)
• The University of New Mexico School of Medicine Movement Disorders Clinic, under the direction of Dr. Sarah Pirio Richardson, via the UNM Foundation (www.unmfund.org)

A Family Service and Commendation of his Ashes will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the St. Paul Memorial Garden, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa. Please visit our online guestbook for Bryce at www.FrenchFunerals.com.