Ann OBryan Bresler

Ann George O'Bryan Bresler, 82, died Dec. 9, 2010, at her home in Owensboro. She was born Jan. 21, 1928, in Owensboro, the daughter of Henry Elmore and Louise Medley O'Bryan and sister of Henry E. O'Bryan, of Owensboro, and the late Parker O'Bryan. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Martin Bresler. She also was preceded in death by Mary Williams O'Bryan, wife of her brother Henry.
She was the beloved mother of eight daughters, Louise Callahan (married to Dave Callahan) of Gainesville, Va.; Christina Jones (Dean) of Owensboro; Ann Knox (Tom) of Verona, Ky.; Isabelle Ebelhar (Rick) of Owensboro; Patricia Bolger (John) of Hendersonville, Tenn.; May Carroll Gipe (Tom) of Owensboro; Rebecca Bumm (Barry) of Franklin, Tenn.; and Ellen Roberts (Warren) of Lee Summit, Mo. She leaves 24 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and five nephews.
Her greatest legacy is the deep gift of faith she instilled in all her children and grandchildren despite the trials of life. Her grandchildren, all surviving, are Elizabeth Bolger Hood (married to Jason Hood) of Nashville, Tenn.; Paul Callahan (Ariel) of Reston, Va.; Sarah Jones of Dallas, Texas; John Bolger IV (Ashley) of Gallatin, Tenn.; Ginny Callahan Gasink (Dan) of Williamsburg, Va.; Christina Knox Conley (Carter) of Louisville; Maggie Jones of Dallas; Laura Jones of Dallas; Dr. Michael Knox (Anne) of Birmingham, Ala.; Ann Isabel Gearon (Barry) of Nashville; Dave Callahan of Richmond, Va.; Emily Ebelhar Johnston (Adam) of Owensboro; Alex Gipe (Sarah) of Louisville; Rachel Jones of Lexington, Ky.; Rick Ebelhar (Dana) of Bowling Green, Ky.; Mary Jones of Dallas; Michelle Gipe Bourke (Chad) of Louisville; Andrew Ebelhar (Emily) of Louisville; Megan Roberts of Lee Summit, Mo.; Erin Ebelhar of Owensboro; Daniel Bumm of Franklin, Tenn.; Madalyn Roberts of Lee Summit; Abby Bumm of Franklin; and Allison Bumm of Franklin.
She was especially appreciative of her caregivers Sylvia Howard, Margie Davis and Lisa Lopez.
Known as "Gran" by members of her large family, she was the force behind the decades-old Bresler Family Reunion, which did so much to keep family members so close. She loved playing golf, tending to her flowers and taking walks with her dogs on her farms. In her later years, her greatest joy came from spending time in Destin, Fla., with her children and grandchildren. She also loved traveling with her family and friends. She was particularly proud of educating all her daughters after the untimely death of her husband at age 44. She supported Brescia University, where four of her daughters attended (including Ann, who graduated from the school), and she started the Paul Martin Bresler Endowed Scholarship at Bresica in 2009.
She graduated from St. Francis Academy in Owensboro in 1946 and Webster College in Webster Grove, Mo., in 1950. She and Mr. Bresler were married by the Rev. Anthony Higdon on July 1, 1950, at St. Stephen Cathedral, where she was a member the rest of her life. Earlier, she had been a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Owensboro. In 1970, she was elected to the first parish council at St. Stephen. She was a life member of the Altar Society at St. Stephen.
Although primarily a homemaker, she was Secretary-Treasurer of Farmers Insurance of Daviess County from 1970 to 1990. She supported many Owensboro organizations and was a member of the Serra Club of Owensboro and the Cotillion Club (later called the Junior League) for many years and was a lifelong member of the Owensboro Country Club, where her father was a founding member and where she was active in the Ladies Golf Association.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 12:05 p.m. Saturday at St. Stephen Cathedral, with family receiving visitors at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. Friday and from 10:00 until 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The Rosary will be said at 6:00 p.m. Friday. Memorials in the form of contributions may be made to Down Syndrome Support Group of South Central Kentucky, P.O. Box 1611, Bowling Green, Ky.; or Right to Life of Owensboro, 1115 Tamarack Road, Suite 200, Owensboro, 42301. Burial will be at Mater Dolorosa Cemetery in Owensboro.