AREA OBITUARIES – Dr. Bryan Hartsell

Larry Bryan Hartsell passed away Sat., Aug. 1, 2026, in Montana. 
Bryan was born Aug. 25, 1970, in Hayti, Mo. to James Larry and Mary Ann (James) Hartsell. 
He graduated from Kennett High School in Kennett, Mo. in 1988 as Valedictorian of his class before attending the University of Missouri – Columbia. While there, he met his wife, Cheryl, and they were married March 25, 1995. 
Bryan received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1996 and moved to Fulton, Ky. to begin practicing. 
In May of 2000, Bryan and Cheryl welcomed his pride and joy, Nathan. 
In 2018 he purchased Ward Animal Clinic and began making the practice his own. He was praised by many for being a compassionate and caring veterinarian. 
Bryan grew up hunting ducks in southeast Missouri. He instilled that passion in Nathan, and nothing made him happier than being in the duck blind with his son and his dogs. Bryan loved his hunting dogs. The Hartsell household consists of five labradors: Brant, Cache, Sprig, Hunter and Penny. Every morning he would take one of them to work with him, and many times bring a different one back in the afternoon. 
In 2021 he became involved in hunting retriever tests and travelled many miles attending hunt tests, watching his dogs compete, and making friends in the hunting retriever test family. He was so proud of Cache for earning his third HRCH Grand Champion this past Spring and was looking forward to a fourth championship this fall. 
Bryan actively hunted deer and turkey and took trips out west hunting antelope and elk and to Texas hunting turkeys and wild boar. 
He also had a passion for fishing – especially trout fishing. 
Shortly after he met Cheryl, he shared his love of trout fishing with her and of course then with Nathan, helping him catch his first trout when he was just 2 1/2. Bryan and Nathan were able to enjoy trout fishing last year on the Gallatin River outside Yellowstone National Park and worked on their fishing plans for this year for months. 
However, his Lord had other plans for him, trading Golden Trout for Streets of Gold. While we grieve the loss of our husband, father, son and friend, we know he is rejoicing in Heaven and died doing what he truly loved – spending time in the outdoors in God’s creation with his son, Nathan.
Bryan is survived by his wife, Cheryl (Day) Hartsell, of Dukedom, Tenn., and his son, Nathan, who is following in his footsteps and attending veterinary school in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee; and by his mom, Mary Ann Hartsell, of Kennett, Mo. 
He was preceded in death by his father last year. 
Bryan was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Fulton, Ky., where he served as a deacon. He was also a Gideon.
A memorial service to honor Bryan’s life will be held Sat., Aug. 8 at 2 pm at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 6914 State Route 94 East, Fulton Ky., with visitation beginning at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Retriever Hunt Test Ministry, Gideons International, or Samaritan’s Purse.