Robert Bryan was the epitome of small town America.

He graduated from Prospect High School in 1939 and attended Slippery Rock College briefly before being drafted to serve his country in World War II.

Upon his return, he started a local business that became the centerpiece of Prospect.

"He represented what small town America was like," said his son, Dr. Bill Bryan, a surgeon in Houston, Texas. "Between the Wal-Marts and the cell phones, it's just not what it used to be like. Nobody was better at that social integration than dad."

Robert Bryan, formerly of Prospect and Sherwood Oaks in Cranberry, died last Sunday at UPMC Passavant in Cranberry. He was 87.

Mr. Bryan served during World War II in the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant.

"He was in the European camp that landed in Normandy on the second day," said Dr. Bryan. "He didn't talk about it much, but he served until right before they dropped the bomb [on Japan]."

Upon returning from war, Mr. Bryan and his brother, Pete, started the Bryan Brothers' Grocery Store at the main intersection in Prospect. The store was a staple in the community, a sort of local social network for adults and kids.

"All of us grew up at that store," said Dr. Bryan. "My dad was a very good butcher. People would come from far and wide to get his meat. It was sort of his forte."

Dr. Bryan said people used to joke that he had his dad to thank for his current career.

"People used to tease me [saying] that's why I became a surgeon, because as a kid, I used to help my dad butcher the meat," he said, laughing.

The store was in operation for 40 years before it was sold. While there is still a convenience store at the old location, "It's not the social network it was before," his son said.

After selling the store, Mr. Bryan focused on his second business, the Bryan Bus Lines. The company had a fleet of 50 buses that served several school districts, including Slippery Rock and Butler.

"Dad became quite the negotiator after spending his time dealing with school boards and unruly kids," Dr. Bryan said.

Mr. Bryan continued to operate the bus line until the 1980s, when it was sold.

In addition to his businesses, Mr. Bryan enjoyed hunting and fishing. It is a love that was passed on to his children, Dr. Bryan said.

"We all sort of followed that," he said.

His father was known for his social nature, said Dr. Bryan.

"He was a real sociable guy and fun to be around, always with a song and a story," he said.

Mr. Bryan was a lifetime member of the Presbyterian Church of Prospect, where he served as an elder and deacon. He also held a membership with the Butler County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife, Marion Irene Gray Bryan, of Cranberry; another son, Barry Bryan, of Prospect; two daughters: Collene Milligan, of Chama, N.M., and Janis Lee Inman, of Healdsburg, Calif.; 14 grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Services were held Thursday morning at the Presbyterian Church of Prospect. Burial was at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Prospect.