Growing up in Avondale, the Bryan family on Belvedere Avondale and the Langston family on Hollywood Avenue, put Cheryl Langston and Carter Bryan in close contact.
“We were together when we were in diapers, and we’ll be together when we are in diapers again,” Carter said in his humorous manner about their 58-year marriage.
A Ponytail in Paint
Perhaps the first inkling of the relationship to develop was at the Children’s Museum (now MOSH) on Riverside Avenue in art class when they were five years old and young Cheryl’s blonde ponytail “met a can of red paint” thanks to young, mischievous Carter. There were a lot of calls to the Mamas during their childhood. Carter’s Schwinn Jaguar Mark 2 was his pride and joy, and Avondale was bustling with kids on bikes as parks and streets beckoned for discovery, exploration, fun and innocent shenanigans.
Carter, the middle child of three brothers and Cheryl and her three siblings were like family. Wonderful childhood memories abound for both families. The Langstons enjoyed traveling by train since her dad worked for Seaboard Coastline Railroad. Her mother packed a suitcase full of snacks, made the children matching outfits so she could keep up with them, and off they went to places around the country.
When the Bryan family moved to Ortega, the Avondale gang was split up temporarily since Carter attended Lakeshore Junior High School. At six-foot-one Carter was the tallest kid around and was pursued by coaches to play football, basketball, and other sports in which he had absolutely no interest.
Lakeshore, he said, was “sort of a rough place” and guys sometimes wanted to fight him, but he certainly had no interest in that either. Meanwhile, Cheryl at John Gorrie Junior High played every sport imaginable: bound ball, badminton, tennis; she was pitcher on the softball team, and played basketball as well.
The diminutive woman, barely five feet tall, was as athletic as Carter was not. At John Gorrie she was the PE teacher’s office aide to well-remembered Coaches Lazenbee and Shaar. Cheryl and Carter stayed in touch through friends and acquaintances, then reunited during their high school years at Robert E. Lee (now Riverside) High School and the dynamic duo certainly bloomed in every imaginable way.
Cheryl was a cheerleader, the darling of numerous organizations and excelled academically. Indeed, she was valedictorian of the Class of 1963 – while Carter, although a leader in student council and many other school activities, struggled with his studies. He mentioned that he was no stranger to then-Dean of Boys John Prom’s paddle. However, that did not prevent him from, as Cheryl said, “being in charge of everything” including serving as president of the Kappa High Y. Coincidentally his (now) sister-in-law Peggy (Paul) Bryan was the mascot.
“I was the worst student to go through Lee High School,” Carter joked. “John Prom called me into his office and told me that he and [Dean of Girls] Virgie Cone and [Principal] Warren Kirkham had decided to give me a diploma ‘so we can get control of the school back.’”
An Unexpected Diagnosis
What Carter would find out much later in life while visiting the DePaul School of Northeast Florida was that he had dyslexia. A description of this particular disorder pinpointed his learning difficulties perfectly. Of course, there was no testing or specific diagnosis for that learning disability until the mid-1960s, so it is no wonder that he struggled academically.
“If only I’d had something like that (school) growing up,” he said.
However, his multitude of lifetime achievements prove that this forward-thinking man was not to be held back and went on to achieve outstanding success in business ventures as well as becoming a highly respected philanthropist.
During his high school years his mother said that he needed to “think more about school and not so much about Cheryl.” From that ponytail dipping at age five to their first date at 16 to see “Cimarron” at the Edgewood Theater, Cheryl and Carter have been together. Carter could barely concentrate when he took Cheryl to Le Chateau for a romantic dinner on August 12, 1966 because he had left a ring – a family heirloom – in the glove box when the valet parked the car. Thankfully, all was well and during a walk on the beach, he popped the question.
Their parents had warned them that marriages at 17 did not last (there is a long amusing side story about this) so they were married on August 5, 1967 at Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd just a few months after Cheryl’s cum laude college graduation from Wheaton College with a degree in biology.
Carter jokingly said he didn’t want to talk about his various college experiences, but the young couple stayed in touch even while apart.
“Remember writing letters? And we had phones in our rooms, so we supported Southern Bell,” Cheryl said. “Carter came to Wheaton several times and enchanted all the northern girls with his southern accent and charm.”
Cheryl’s mother was a seamstress and among her other numerous talents and skills, Cheryl is as well. She cut her wedding dress out on a ping pong table at college and had it ready for her wedding. The young couple honeymooned in Jamaica, then bought a house on Garibaldi for $20,00.00.
During school Carter, not one to be deterred from success, mowed lawns for $5, trimmed poodles for $10 and sold cemetery plots before working as a debit insurance agent for Independent Life. Eventually, he joined the sales department and became a manager. He also served as an operating room technician for six years in the Army Reserves.
Grown to Success
Carter is grateful that his parents got to see him become so successful, including becoming an award-winning salesman, member of the Million Dollar Round Table, founder of Physicians’ Advantage and co-founder of Med Mal Direct Insurance Company now the largest medical malpractice insurance company in the nation.
The list of boards on which he has served, the offices in a multitude of charitable organizations he has held – including lifetime membership on the Board of the American Cancer Society – and his awards, commendations and memberships would fill an old-fashioned telephone directory.
While Carter climbed the ladder of success in the insurance business, Cheryl graduated in May, married in August, then settled in as a teacher (with absolutely no experience) at Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
“It was terrifying,” she said. “I was so intimidated and didn’t smile for months. The greatest thing about it is if everyone could be a teacher, it’s great preparation for motherhood.”
After three years Carter was so successful that Cheryl quit teaching to become involved in many worthy organizations in Jacksonville. The couple’s work with the Children’s Home Society led to the adoption of their first two children, Sheldon and Kate, then happily two years after Kate they had Harper. They now have eight grandchildren, and the couple agree that their life with their children is their greatest gift. The family spent all their summers in the Bahamas- living on their boat – and the neighborhood was like the 1950s with a deep sense of community. They all were certified divers, went snorkeling and enjoyed the “beauty of God’s creation.” The Carters also befriended a Swedish student, Hans Gable, who lived with them for over a year and was like an older brother to the Bryan children.
A Passion for Philanthropy
Carter’s father Jacob F. Bryan, a highly respected local insurance executive, was a dedicated philanthropist and among many other organizations, a promoter of the American Cancer Society. He was determined that his sons would be dedicated to charitable work as well and Cheryl and Carter, as well as J.C. Bryan and his wife Peggy, have been described as “community servants.” Kendall Bryan has remained involved in the Henry and Lucy Gooding Foundation.
“What else in life is there if you can’t help others,” Carter said. “There is no greater feeling than to help people at their lowest.”
These Type A achievers have contributed amazing programs to our community. Need a mammogram from the Mobile Mammogram bus? Thank Carter for helping to establish that. Need a place to stay while receiving cancer treatment? Thank Carter for helping develop Hope Lodge. Need support for the Cancer Society, the Children’s Home Society, the De Paul Society, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Junior League or to start up a recycling program in Jacksonville? Thank Cheryl. Just a few reasons that she was the Eve Award recipient for lifetime achievement in 2012. The Bryans feel that they have been blessed to serve and help people and have dedicated their lives to that purpose.
Cheryl loves gardening, reading, and crocheting. Carter does amazing woodworking and makes lovely furniture. Spending time with their family is important to them as they continue a legacy of promoting and supporting local organizations.
When asked for a one-word description to describe their spouse, they both said, “Wonderful.” Cheryl joked they have been together way too long to be original.
From their youthful romance until now, their favorite song sums up a lifetime of love for others and each other. As Johnny Mathis sang so long ago, “You ask how long I’ll love you; I’ll tell you true. Until the twelfth of never, I’ll still be loving you. Until the Twelfth of Never and that’s a long, long time.”
