Brian Reid Bryant, of Austin, Texas, passed away at home on August 24, 2019, of pancreatic cancer at the age of 68 while in hospice care and surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Diane Pedrotty Bryant, four children, four grandchildren, and colleagues in the Department of Special Education in the College of Education at UT Austin.
Brian was born January 27, 1951, in Key West, Florida, at the U. S. Naval Air Station. His family later settled in Maine after his father served in various military locations. Brian earned his bachelor of science from the University of Maine-Portland/Gorham in 1978 in elementary education, his master of science in education from the University of Southern Maine-Gorham in 1979 in exceptionalities, and his doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin in 1984 with a focus on general special education. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years.
Brian was a research professor and research fellow at The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at UT Austin and taught special education courses in the Department of Special Education. He served for 10 years as director of research for Pro-Ed, a special education publishing company in Austin, before serving as the director of the Office for Students with Disabilities at Florida Atlantic University.
Brian served as co-principal investigator for several state and federal grants and co-editor-in-chief of the Learning Disability Quarterly. He was a past president of the Council for Learning Disabilities. Brian authored more than 100 articles, books, book chapters, assessments, and intervention materials focusing on mathematics, language arts, and assistive technology applications for students with disabilities. He received professional awards from the Council for Learning Disabilities and the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Brian was a fellow in the International Academy of Research in Learning Disabilities.
Brian will be loved and missed by his wife, family, and so many colleagues who reached out expressing their condolences and fond memories of this incredible person. At Brian’s request, no services will be held and his family will pay tribute to him by scattering his ashes at some of his favorite places.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Dana-Farber and Jimmy Fund, supported by Brian’s beloved Red Sox, in honor of and in memory of Brian to support cancer research and patient care.
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Council for Learning Disabilities
