Mary Harmon Bryant didn't want an elaborate funeral for her husband, certainly nothing at the football stadium. Her husband already had enough attention, she figured. She didn't want music or a long list of speakers giving eulogies.
Nonetheless, the service and telecasts filled three churches in downtown Tuscaloosa. Hundreds of thousands lined the streets there and in Birmingham and along the path of Interstate 59 along which Paul "Bear" Bryant was taken to his final resting place at Elmwood Cemetery.
Bryant died on Jan. 26, 1983 and the services were held on Jan. 28. He was 69 years old, only a few months removed from the last football game he ever coached, the 323rd of his then-record victories.
Recently, The Huntsville Times discovered some vintage photos of Bryant's funeral as taken by former photographers Tony Triolo and Dave Dieter. They include shots of various dignitaries in attendance, like Joe Namath and ex-coaches Bud Wilkinson and Woody Hayes.
On this, the anniversary of that funeral, we thought it'd be appropriate to share those and other photographs.