Joseph Andrew Bryant was born September 16,1951 in Camilla, Georgia, to the late Nellie Bowens Harper and Peter Bryant. He attended Camilla Consolidated School and graduated with honors in 1968 when he was 17 years old. While in high School he played football and was a member of the band, playing the trumpet. He was selected by the American Legion to attend Boys State at the University of GA in 1968. While in Camilla he attended Union Baptist Church where he was active in youth activities.

After graduation from high school, he attended Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) for two years. While there he married Jessie Boswell, also from Camilla. He then enlisted in the US Marine Corps and served for two years. After leaving the Marine Corps he entered Albany State College (now Albany State University) and received a bachelor's degree in 1975. He then received an appointment to Navy Aviation Officers Candidate School and received his wings in 1975. In 1976 he had his first daughter, Chayna, and his second daughter, Erin, in 1979. After leaving the Navy he relocated to the Washington, DC area where he worked several jobs before deciding that he wanted to be a firefighter. He was intent on landing a job that had "good benefits". At that time, Arlington County. had almost 1000 applicants vying for 10 positions in the Fire Department and Joe landed one of those positions. After joining the Arlington Co. Fire Department he voiced a desire to be a Paramedic. Usually, the county would send you for training if you voiced such a desire – but that didn't happen. Therefore, Joe paid for his own training at Northern Virginia Community College. Eventually the Fire Department had to put him on the Ambulance and he became the first black Paramedic in Arlington County. He stayed on that job until he had to retire on disability in 1995. Around the time of his retirement, his marriage to Jessie dissolved, although they maintained a friendship until his death.

After leaving the Fire Department, Joe taught Mathematics at Parkdale High School and several other schools in Prince George's County until going to Friendship-Edison Charter School, Blow Pierce Campus, in D.C. Under his instruction the students at Blow-Pierce significantly improved their standardized test scores in Math.

In 2001, while doing a cancer walk in Watkins Park, he walked into a person who would become his soulmate and wife, Dr. Elliece Smith. They hit it off immediately and were married in November 2003. Joe subsequently embarked on another career as a Real Estate Agent. He truly enjoyed helping people realize their dream of owning a home. He continued to do this until he was physically unable but remained a source of information for anyone who needed it. Also, because of his Paramedic training, when his wife started doing Liposuction in 2006, he went to California to be trained to assist her. The patients absolutely loved him. He kept them safe by monitoring them throughout the procedure but also kept them laughing and comfortable.

After marrying Elliece, Joe joined St. Paul Church. He was already attending another church but felt Elliece was more involved in St. Paul so he joined her there. He enthusiastically became an active member and in 2008 underwent Servant Leader Training. He subsequently was ordained as a Deacon in 2014. While at St. Paul he helped to establish the 911 ministry – a ministry designed to help anyone who came to the church needing help – whether it was housing, food, rehab or anything else. Joe, himself, had experienced a dark period in his life. However, he fought through it and was saved by embracing the light of God's love, mercy and grace. He then was dedicated to helping anyone else who was similarly struggling to also embrace that light. He developed a network of people to help him and was very serious about being available whenever he was needed. As time took its toll and he was not as physically able, he continued to reach out and help anyone he could. He supported three families with Share food packages each month and would give you the shirt off his back if he felt you needed it.

Joe had always been a physically active person and readily joined Elliece in skiing and long-distance bicycle riding. Together they enjoyed two hundred-mile bike rides and skied all over the United States, including Colorado and Utah. He was 50 years old with a bad back but that didn't stop him. He was up to trying anything. On his last big ski trip to Park City, Utah he skied on a Ski Bike because his back was really starting to bother him – but he had a ball on that Ski Bike. The two of them also did a lot of traveling. The most memorable trip was to Greece and the Mediterranean Sea where he was able to visit, among other places, the Isle of Patmos where John wrote the book of Revelations, and Ephesus, where Paul used to preach. His outgoing personality and jovial nature touched many people. He was the type of person that people did not easily forget.

On the morning of April 7th, God called "His favorite little boy" home. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, John. He leaves to mourn his beloved wife of 21 years, Dr. Elliece S. Bryant; his sister, Paulette Bryant (Carlos); his first cousin, Anthony Lamar (Jackie) who was like a brother; his sister-in-law Lucille Palmer; his daughter Chayna Dawson; his daughter Erin (Patrick) Ammah; son Irving Russell Smith, III (Monique); grandchildren David, Noelani, Kwabena, Alexis and Irving Joseph (JoJo); greatgrandchildren Leonice and Deion; a new great great-granddaughter, Willow along with a host of other family and friends.

Joe was a fighter 'til the end. We take comfort in the fact that God will wrap his loving arms around "His favorite little boy" and carry him home.