Ruth Alyne Bryant

Ruth was born in Memphis, Tennessee on January 12, 1924 to James Walter Bryant and Leola Edgar Bryant. She grew up in Memphis, Tennessee where she graduated as valedictorian of her high school senior class. After graduation, Ruth attended Southwestern College at Memphis (now Rhodes College) and later graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey where she was a member of the faculty for five years. Ruth was associated with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis her entire banking career, having started in the Fiscal Agency Department at the Memphis Branch. Ruth moved to St. Louis in 1973 when she was promoted to Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; she became the first woman Vice President in the Federal Reserve System. In this position, she had responsibility for public information and coordinated those activities for the seven-state area comprising the Eighth Federal Reserve District until she retired from the Bank in 1990. While working for the Federal Reserve in Memphis, Ruth served as President of the National Association of Bank Women in 1970-71. In this capacity, she was one of six women invited by the French government for a visit to strengthen the ties of friendship between the two countries.

After moving to St. Louis, Ruth joined the English-Speaking Union of St. Louis and became active at the St. Louis Mercantile Library. She later served as President and on the Executive Committee of the English-Speaking Union. Her service in this organization earned her the title of President Emerita for her work spearheading the British University Summer School program and the ESU Shakespeare Competition. The ESU Board also honored Ruth in 2016 by setting up the Ruth A. Bryant Education Fund and presenting her with “A Proclamation from the Mayor of St. Louis” honoring her many professional and cultural achievements.

Ruth also served as the President of The St. Louis Mercantile Library Association Board of Direction for multiple pivotal years in the 1990’s and early 2000’s during which she helped secure the future of this great research library by helping it affiliate with the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where it now resides. Ruth treasured her association and leadership at The Mercantile. She was honored by that institution with the title President Emerita, a portrait displayed at the Mercantile, and a Study Room named in her honor. As John Hoover, Executive Director of The Mercantile Library, wrote to friends of that organization at Ruth’s passing, “We have lost one of our legendary leaders, but Ruth Bryant’s legacy of service, generosity and spirit will be with all of us who love the Mercantile forever.”

Ruth was also active for years in the Alliance Francaise de St. Louis and the Center for French Colonial Studies, both of which organizations she served as President of their respective Boards of Directors. Ruth was active at various times with the Archeological Society of St. Louis, the St. Louis Literary Award board, the Development Board of the University of Missouri Press, and in fund-raising for such charitable organizations as the Salvation Army. She was one of four women inducted into the Rotary Club of St. Louis in 1989, breaking a 78-year tradition of male-only membership. She was for many years a parishioner at the Episcopal Church of St. Michael and St. George.

Ruth was a long-time member of the Chancellor’s Council of the University of Missouri-St. Louis and served three years as its chair. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from that university in 1990 and a Presidential Citation for University Service in 1988.

The recipient of numerous honors and awards, Ruth was a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial in Fulton, MO. She was also a Commander in the Order of St. John, a serving order of chivalry under the British Crown. She was selected in 1997 for the St. Louis Women of Achievement Award in the area of Civic Preservation.

In 2012, Ruth received the honor of being given the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques by the French government.

As witnessed by the above tributes and her many areas of service and honors, Ruth was truly a pioneer woman leader and mentor to many both in the field of banking and in the cultural and charitable life of St. Louis. She also managed to be throughout her busy life, a caring and attentive daughter, sister and aunt who was in turn treasured and loved by her family.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers and their spouses, Russell Edward Bryant (Marjoree) and Aubrey Ray Bryant (Hattie). She is survived by her six nieces and nephews: Russell’s children, Douglas Edward Bryant and his wife, Rebecca, of Fort Worth, Texas; Thomas Russell Bryant and his wife, Carolyn, of Austin, Texas; and Emily Bryant Ponder and her husband, Paul, of Plano, Texas; and Ray’s children, Martha Kay Bryant and husband Ted Wardlaw of Austin, TX; Walter Lee Bryant and wife Rita of Elizabeth, CO; and Eden Lynn Bryant and wife Lisa Davis of Castle Rock, CO. She is also survived by five great nieces, six great nephews and nine great-great nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the staff, nurses, and assistants at Allegro Senior Living in St. Louis for the wonderful care provided during Ruth’s residence there since June 2020.

A memorial service will be held at Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church, 9450 Clayton Rd., St. Louis MO on Saturday, May 13th at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow the service.

Memorial gifts in Ruth’s memory may be made to the Ruth A. Bryant Rare Book Acquisitions and Program Fund at the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (1 University Blvd., St. Louis MO 63121 or at giving.umsl.edu/ruthbryant online. Direct questions to 314-516-7248)

or to the Ruth A. Bryant Educational Fund, St. Louis branch of the English-Speaking Union, which supports the Shakespeare Competition and the Travel and Learn Abroad program for educators. Gifts to the ESU can be made by check to: Ruth A. Bryant Educational Fund, St. Louis branch of ESU, ℅ Barbara Lewington, 314 Valley Forge Court, Chesterfield, MO 63017.