| Graduation Year | Class of 1992 |
| Date of Birth | Jul 29, 1974 |
| Date of Passing | Aug 19, 2023 |
| About | Amy Claybaugh Bryson, 49, of Boise, ID, passed away in Phoenix, AZ on August 19, 2023. Amy was born at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise, Idaho on July 29, 1974. People commented on her bright eyes, an indication of the bright intelligence that characterized her life. Amy attended Lowell and Collister Elementaries, Hillside Junior High, and Boise High School where she graduated in 1992. She attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland and then Boise State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in English Literature in 2000 and a master's degree in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning in 2019. Amy had a 24-year career in St. Luke's Medical Library. When she started work there, the library was right down the hall from where she was born. Because she was always an “early adopter” of new technology, her technical ability was key in facilitating the St. Luke’s library automation process. Amy eventually became the Medical Library Manager. In 2018, Amy decided she wanted to grow her career in a new direction. She completed a master’s degree and was hired as a Talent Program Manager, also at St. Luke's. As demonstrated by her education and career, Amy was as brilliant as she was kind and funny. She was such a good writer, and so witty, that even the shortest text message could leave you with tears of laughter. Amy's sunny disposition was rarely eclipsed for long by the vagaries of life. Anytime you had a chance to hang out with her you knew it was going to be fun. She was universally liked and admired by her colleagues, who knew she was the person to go to for information and likely a good laugh. Amy was very close to her family. She had a particularly strong bond with her little brother, Jonathan, and absolutely adored spending time with her nephews, Gideon, 11, and Indigo, 8. Amy never stopped making friends. There were no two ways about it: to know Amy was to love her. Amy’s friends included a group called the "Quitters." What began as an online writing group of strangers from every corner of the country, evolved into a tight bunch of lifelong friends. Though they “quit” the writing group, they stayed in contact, providing one another with advice, comfort and camaraderie over the years. Amy attended several so-called “Quitter Unions,” short vacations in cities around the country where everyone had a chance to connect in person, enjoying great food and conversation. In 2014, Amy met Stuart Bryson. He shared her interests in outdoor fun, especially biking, hiking, paddling and camping. Rarely apart, Amy and Stu enjoyed 10 happy years together. They were married in a picturesque beach wedding near Monterrey, CA on June 26, 2022. Sailing has always been a big part of Stu’s life. In preparation for their honeymoon in the Caribbean and a future life of sailing, in July 2021, Amy and Stu took a weeklong course aboard a sailboat in the San Juans and became certified sailboat captains. Amy, like Stu, loved animals. The canine love of her life was her Golden Retriever "Lebowski," aka "the Dude." His magic, she said, was turning dog food into poop and love. Given his size and gentle heart, Lebowski provided plenty of both. Her life with Stu added other beloved pets, including their Corgi mix, "Nurse Buji," who lay cuddled with Amy throughout her illness. The cancer that ended her life was diagnosed a month after Amy and Stu were married. They moved to Phoenix in January so Amy could join a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic, and she continued to receive her care there. Amy drove a bright blue Audi convertible to Mayo for tests and treatment. A furry, dirty Subaru kind of gal for most of her life, Amy really enjoyed rolling through Phoenix in comfort and style. While she had to let go of her sailing honeymoon with Stu, along with hopes and plans for other adventures, she made the most of her limited time. Amy powered through cancer treatment the same way she lived the rest of her life: with unflagging optimism, grace, and humor. Amy is survived by her husband, Stuart Bryson, her parents Steve and Cathy (Downing) Claybaugh of Boise, her brother Jonathan Claybaugh, his wife Alicia Herlehy and their two boys, Gideon and Indigo Claybaugh, of San Francisco; Aunts Ann Anderson and Peggy Larrondo; Uncles Bruce Downing and Vint Wolfe; Stu’s brother and five sisters and their spouses; and all of her many cousins. Amy was preceded in death by her Aunts Caroline Downing Wolfe and Sylvianne Downing; and Uncles Steve Larrondo, Fred Anderson and Jim Claybaugh. Following Amy's example of strength in dealing with adversity, we hope to start breathing again sometime. Instead of a traditional funeral, Amy asked for a delayed event to celebrate her life. In typical Amy fashion, she wanted the people who loved her to celebrate her life in the spirit of joy that defined her very essence to the last. |
