Remembering Dave’s Life:

David Wayne Bryant, 71, of Mt Vernon Maine, a cherished soul who embraced life with the wisdom of an ancient one, departed this realm to journey into eternity on April 18, 2025

Dave was born on December 13, 1953, in Maine.  He was the son of Kenneth and Mary (Sawyer) Bryant, Sr. and the eldest of 8 siblings.  He graduated from Winthrop High School.  He was an Ancient One of Maine, a master mechanic, builder and inventor.

Dave loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and motorcycle riding.  He lived a rustic, unique life in tune with nature.

Left on this realm to remember him include his father; Kenneth Bryant Sr of Readfield Maine, 6 of his siblings – Bruce, Kathy, Wayne, Scott, Kenny and Cindy plus 13 of his nieces and nephews – Chad, Shawn, Michael, Matthew, Jeremy, Tyler, Joshua, Camden, Justin, Andrew, Ashley, Alex and Syl.  Dave is also survived by in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, great-nieces and nephews.

Departing this realm before him included his wife Judy of 36 years, girlfriend Kathy, grandparents, his mother Mary, brother Mark and niece Monica.

A dreamcatcher of memories shared.  Dave will be greatly missed. 

Now this is where our remembrance page could end but, this is Dave we’re talking about.  He loved telling and sharing stories so here are just a few things we’d like you to know about Dave.

His mother Mary was a great storyteller, bringing farm animals to life in her tales to delight the children.  It’s obvious Dave inherited this skill.  While at Winthrop High School Dave strengthened his love of telling stories and debating.  Dave not only won a speech and debate contest, but he won it while speaking in Donald Duck.  He was also MVP and Captain of the soccer team.

One day when Dave was working on a car at Grammy Bryant’s in Readfield, his Uncle Junior saw him, quickly recognized Dave’s talent and offered him a job as a mechanic in Florida.  This was a great opportunity for Dave.  Following graduation, he worked as a mechanic, honing his skills alongside his uncle for 10 years.

While in Florida he met his future wife Judy on a clothing optional beach.  This began the adventures of a bronzed beauty and a country boy.

In the early 80’s he returned to Maine with his wife Judy.  From the beaches of Florida to a secluded, wooded lot in Long Acres, Mt Vernon Maine.  It started with a one-room lean-to, built for them to live in while building their first and final home with the hands-on help of his family.  As Dave often paraphrased Red Green, “If she don’t find ya handsome she best find ya handy”.

Dave continued working as a mechanic for many years, in Winthrop.  He was not only a master mechanic, but he was also a master carpenter.  He had a shop on Route 202 in Monmouth where he sold wooden benches, furniture and other handcrafted pieces.  Much later in life he was an engineer for the State of Maine Fish and Wildlife; their only engineer without an engineering degree, he was hired due to his skill and experience.  He helped construct buildings and damns and this is where he retired from.

During those years, in 1992, Dave and Judy discovered and embraced The Ancient Ones of Maine.  This is how Dave “Gomer” Bryant describes the encounter:

“Who is that Gomer Guy??????????????

Well that Gomer Guy be ME!!!!!!!!

I live in Mt. Vernon, ME., with my wife of 30 years. Dogeye is her Camp Name. We have been doing Living History for 14 years now.  You will find, as you explore The Cave, that I have a strange sense of humor. I believe that having fun in whatever you do is a good thing. I was a total pilgrim when I met The Ancient Ones. Since then, I have been heavily involved with the club (and have enjoyed most of it, too)!!!!!!! I am a past Booshway of The Ancient Ones, and of The Northeastern Primitive Rendezvous in 1998.

…Now you know who Gomer is!!!!!!!!!!!

 In the summer of 1992, I went to downtown Mt. Vernon - up behind the Library - and saw a site I will never forget. There in the field was a group of people that looked, smelled, and acted like they had been there for a 150 years.

 I was walking through the Living History Encampment of a group called The Ancient Ones.

This bunch of people had a love for the outdoors, a fondness for the Old Ways, and appreciation for history itself!  The Ancient Ones have rendezvous, (or encampments).  Ancient Ones events are often confused with what is called a reenactment. There is a BIG difference between the two. A reenactment is usually based on a specific battle or narrow time period. A living history encampment covers a broader time period and is not focused on battle. These people stayed for the weekend.  They cooked over an open fire and slept there in there canvas tents - even in the pouring rain!

During the day they were more than happy to show me all their stuff and explain it when I had a question or two. They let me shoot a blank load out of a blunderbuss, and throw a tomahawk & a knife. They offered me some mystery meat, I still don't know what it was, but it was good. I learned more that day than during all of the history classes I took in school!

This group adopted me that day, and now they can't get rid of me!

So What Are Living History Reenactors?

Just some of the best people that you would ever hope to meet. They sacrifice a lot to keep history alive and well. I am Proud to be one of them (Funny Dressed People).”

Dave was deeply involved in the Ancient Ones for nearly 33 years.  He was an integral part of the rendezvous in various states, mostly in Maine and Florida.  He had just finished a series of rendezvous in Florida this winter.  With the Ancient Ones he also did tomahawk throwing demonstrations, including at the Windsor Fair and Augusta Armory.  He loved teaching people of all ages about the Ancient Ones ways, especially to children.  He was invited and gladly agreed to give hands on presentations for youth groups and elementary schools.   He taught them about black powder, fire making, axe and knife throwing and about a lifestyle that was one with nature.  When his nephew Jeremy was in kindergarten, he chose Dave as his “special person” to come to class.  Well, being Dave “Gomer” Bryant, he didn’t just knock on the classroom door.  Dave came out of the Wayne woods in full Ancient Ones garb and banged on the classroom window, to receive a quick yell of “Uncle Dave!” from young Jeremy.  Those children, and many others, gained a very special insight into an ancient time.  When you search on-line for Ancient Ones of Maine and Gomer you’ll find a Facebook page and numerous articles and videos of this unique part of Dave’s life and some of the incredible skills he had, from shooting to crafting arrowhead necklaces.  He hand-crafted a tribal artifact replica and was asked if it could be displayed in a museum due to its amazing accuracy and attention to detail, of course he said yes. 

Dave recently told us about when an elderly man commented on the arrowhead necklace that he often wore; Dave simply took it off and gave it to him.  That was Dave.

When his mom was an Avon Manager, Dave would dress as Santa for the Christmas party and help her with the catering and handing out presents.  He was requested to return year after year.

Some other stories in no particular order:

Wayne and Dave built a 4-stroke snowmobile before they were being made.  They put a motorcycle engine in a snowmobile and Dave called it “Wild Thing”.  It had a cassette player and speakers, motorcycle handle bars and a 5-speed shifter.  Quite the crowd pleaser.

Have you heard of the Fish-O-Matic: “A fish delivered right to your mailbox” feature on Bill Green’s Maine?  If not, have a look on Fish O Matic: A fish delivered right to your mailbox | newscentermaine.com  This invention would not only catch the fish and remove the hook, it would deliver it right to your mailbox!

How about Gomer’s Redneck Hot Tub?  Well, there’s a YouTube video for that Gomers Redneck Hot Tub.  Once again, Dave’s ingenuity and love of a simpler life, shine through as he brings a cast iron bathtub outside, fills it with snow, makes a fire underneath to make a steaming homemade hot tub in the woods.  He used to take this to the Camden taboggan run to show it off and have some fun.  Speaking of taboggans, he and Wayne made a 3–4-person taboggan that Dave would race on the taboggan run onto the lake – he may not have won but it was close to a photo finish for first.  The wood for the taboggan was from Mom and Dad’s lot in Readfield, where it was cut, planed and then steamed to carefully bend it into shape.  Years earlier he got Mom on a taboggan and sled down the Kents Hill ski slope with the Rourke boys.  I think we can all picture Mom and Dave doing something fun like that.

One Christmas he made Mom a beautiful wooden rack for her china cups and saucers.  He was impressed many years later when his youngest sister hung it on Mom and Dad’s wall in Florida, straight as could be, using her arm as a measuring tape.

There was 18 years between Dave and his youngest sibling.  So, Dave’s friends had children close in age to his youngest siblings.  He was also older than many of his aunts and uncles.  Growing up in a big family in rural Maine had its challenges.  Growing up in Readfield Dave would take the older of his younger siblings fishing and on various adventures; often walking miles from home together.  When Dave returned from Florida, he would take his younger siblings on the frozen lake for ice fishing and spin some donuts.

Tired of cooking a turkey for hours with all that mess to clean up?  Well, Dave had a solution for that.  He designed a turkey cooker using a washing machine drum.  He welded a spicket in the middle, put a bucket down over the turkey, spread the coals and she was done in 30 minutes.  He expanded future menus to include turkey wrapped in bacon and stuffed with pork loin.

Dave loved his dogs, Hercules and Simon.  They went everywhere together.

After retirement Dave also traveled in his motorhome, made metal railings for movie theaters and welded metal to make creative garden figures.

David was fortunate to find love again with Kathy LaPlante.  They met in 2018 on Blueberry Hill.  She commented on his nice-looking bike and Dave said yeah, the bike is pretty good looking too.  He told his family that he’d found his thrills on Blueberry Hill with Kathy.  She and Dave lived together at his home in Mt Vernon, sharing a connection with the Ancient Ones and ice fishing.  There is a special photo of Dave holding Kathy’s baby grandson.  Sadly, Kathy passed away in August 2023 after a brief battle with cancer.  Kathy’s daughter Halee was so kind to reach out to us after Dave’s passing and shared how much Dave meant to her and her family. 

Dave loved cars, Jeeps, motorcycles, boats – he loved things with motors.  In 1979 he bought a new 650 Yamaha special.  He loved Harleys.  In Florida, Dave had a Willys Jeep.  It had a snorkel so you could drive it through water, which he did in Lake Okeechobee.  He rode a Sportster from Maine, met up with Bruce in Arizona to attend Sturgis together, to Florida and back to Maine.  In 2024 Dave purchased a ’99 Chevy Corvette Mallet which he took great joy in restoring, driving and entering it into car shows.  

From his parents, Dave was introduced to a love of the land and working with his hands.  His Grampa Sawyer was also a man of the land; “Am I right or am I wrong?” and his Grampa Bryant a master mechanic and inventor.  This all helped shape the amazing, authentic life that Dave led.

We could fill a book with stories from Dave’s life.  This remembrance story is meant to show you snapshots of Dave’s life.  We hope that you’ll expand on what we’ve written here by sharing your memories of Dave.  Just click on “Share A Memory” below.

Rest in joy Dave.

June 1

Dave Bryant - Celebration of Life Ceremony

1pm – 3:30pm

Boofy Quimby Memorial Center

96 Howes Corner Road, Turner  ME  04282

Dave loved life.  In honor of Dave and his unique life, we will be having a celebration of life instead of a funeral.  While we are grieving him, we know the last thing he would want is for his loved ones to dress in black and cry.

We invite you to celebrate Dave’s life with us.  We will be having potluck.  We’ll be providing finger rolls and non-alcoholic drinks.  If you’d like to bring food, we recommend fruit and vegetables platters, handheld snacks and desserts; just a light spread to share while we gather.

Please let us know if you’ll be able to attend, and what food you will bring (so we can have a variety of foods).  If you have photos or videos to share, please post them below or send to me directly.  You can text me on 702-595-3603 or email Mrscindypeacock@yahoo.com (yes, my husband chose my email address )

We would love it if you came to share memories and stories.