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Glover "Skip" E. Bryant III, a lifetime resident of Okeechobee, was the son of G. E. "Bo" Bryant II and Mary Ann Bryant. His father served as county judge from 1956-1985. Judge Bryant died in 1985.
Skip graduated from Okeechobee High School in 1964. He then enlisted in the Navy in 1965, where he served four years of duty. While serving his country, he met his wife, Virginia. They were married in December of 1970. Skip and Ginny were blessed with three lovely daughters, Laura and twins, Madonna and Melissa.
In the years following his military service, Skip pursued a variety of careers. He sold insurance for Farm Bureau, Independent Life and Life of Georgia, was an ordained minister at Dunklin Memorial Church, ran an alarm installation business, and was the owner of Skip’s Bar-B-Q of Okeechobee.
It was law enforcement, however, which Skip really loved and enjoyed. He joined the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office as an Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff in 1982. In 1987 Skip was employed as a fulltime Deputy Sheriff, and he completed the police academy in December of 1987.
On November 8, 1991, shortly after the hour of midnight, Skip lost his life while doing two of the two things he loved the most, flying and law enforcement. Deputy Sheriff Skip Bryant and pilot, Lt. Hank Hancock were flying over Lake Okeechobee searching for two missing boaters when their plane crashed into the lake. Lt. Hancock was able to escape the wreckage of the plane, although he sustained multiple injuries. Heroic efforts were made by Lt. Hancock and other search and rescue members to save Skip, but to no avail.
Skip Bryant passed away that night, however, memories of him are very much alive. Both his life and death have greatly impacted the community of Okeechobee.
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