Sylvia Ann Brian, Deville
Funeral services for Sylvia Ann Brian will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Holloway Baptist Church in Deville, LA, with Pastors Brian Gunter and Jonathon Murphy officiating. A visitation for family and friends will begin at 9:00 am immediately prior to the services. Interment will follow in Greenwood Memorial Park, Pineville, under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home.
Ann was born on March 9, 1957, and passed away after a short battle with cancer on April 24, 2023. She was the oldest of three children born to Clois and Willie Dean Slay. She grew up in the Hickory Grove community and graduated from Buckeye High School in 1975. She then graduated LSUA in 1978 and began her career as a Registered Nurse at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria. Later, she earned her Master’s in Business Administration and became Quality Director at RRMC. She finished her career serving in administration at Central Louisiana Surgical Hospital. She married Floyd Dudley Gunter and resided in Forest Hill, where they raised their two sons, Thomas and Brian Gunter. In 2004, she married Dr. Francis Marion Brian and they resided in their home in Alexandria, enjoying their retirement years by traveling together and spending time with their family, friends, and Calvary Baptist Church family.
Ann was a loving wife and mother. She loved her sons deeply, and made great sacrifices for them throughout her life. Her four grandchildren knew her as Granny Ann, and she had a special love and place in her heart for them.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Joan Brunson for her excellent care of Ann in her last days.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Clois and Willie Dean Slay; her husband of 17 years, Dr. Francis Brian; her brother, Clyde Slay; and her nephews, Steven and Eric Slay.
Those left to mourn her loss and carry on her memory include her oldest son, Thomas Gunter; her youngest son, Brian Gunter, his wife, Trish, and their children, David, Grace, Noah, and Stephanie; her brother, Robert Slay and his wife, Treva; her sister-in-law, Bridget Slay; her stepmother Doris Slay, her nephew, Keith Slay; her niece, Laura Stamper (Nathan); and her step-children, Lauren Brian Arnold (Chuck), Lee Brian (Daneatta), Donnan Brian Hall (David), and Brette Brian.
Pallbearers honored to serve are: Robert Slay, Kenneth Lord, Keith Slay, Nathan Stamper, David Gunter, and Noah Gunter.
Ann was extremely proud of her son, Brian Gunter, for his work as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Livingston, LA. To honor her memory, gifts may be given to FBC Livingston, P.O. Box 610, Livingston, LA, 70754.