Robert "Bryan" Niebuhr

Bryan Niebuhr, age 70, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, due to complications from several chronic illnesses.

He was born in New York, NY, on October 19, 1955, and spent his youth near Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore where he excelled in many sports, most notably wrestling and football. He received a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi where he excelled at the nose guard position. Bryan was then drafted by and played for the New York Giants of the National Football League for several seasons until a series of knee injuries ended his athletic career. He then returned to Ole Miss where he graduated with a BS in Health & PE in 1982. Shortly thereafter Bryan moved to Baton Rouge and began his lifelong career in financial services. It is there that he met his beloved Diane at a Super Bowl XXI party in the home of mutual friends. (The Giants won their first National Championship that year.) They were married in the same room in which they met on July 29, 1989, thus beginning a loving and supportive marriage of 37 years.

Bryan enjoyed deer hunting, LSU baseball (until the Rebels played, of course), traveling, and most of all riding motorcycles. He dearly loved his BMW touring bike, riding long distances with friends, cruising the Smokey Mountains with Diane, and helping to produce the LA RIDER television series. He was blessed to be able to combine his financial experience with his enthusiasm for riding as a finance and insurance specialist at G.N. Gonzales Motorcycles. He also had a life-long love of English Setter dogs and music from the Seventies.

Bryan was preceded in death by his parents, Robert H. Niebuhr and Marilyn Masters Niebuhr. He is survived by his wife, Diane Eslinger Rushing Niebuhr, of Baton Rouge; brothers Kevin of Seven Valleys, PA, and children Yanni and Kiki, Jeff ( Jeannie) of Cincinnati, OH, and children Andrew, Sara, Megan and Erin, and Scott of Ocala, FL, and children Andrea, James, Bryan and Casey; cousins Dawn Niebuhr, Patricia Niebuhr Mayo, Jayme Niebuhr Alechko, Timothy Niebuhr, Daniel Niebuhr, Michael Niebuhr and Michelle Niebuhr. He also leaves behind sisters-in-law, Nancy Seal of Harrison, AR, Karen Eslinger and her children Hannah Rice and Julia McBride, all of Dallas, TX, and Stewart Wood of New Orleans, LA; numerous friends, old and new, and his dearly beloved English Setter, Rose.

Bryan and Diane had recently moved to St. James Place Retirement Community, and the family would like to thank the staff of the Healthcare Center there for their skill, patience, and unwavering love for Bryan during the last stage of his life. Many thanks to all the doctors, specialists, nurses and technicians who helped maintain his quality of life despite the challenges throughout the years.

A memorial service will be held at St. James Place, 333 Lee Drive, Baton Rouge, Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM. Internment will be in Livingston, TN, at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to Mount St. Joseph High School, 4403 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21229 or Our English Setter Rescue (OESR) c/o Paula Burrell, 3991 Philmont Drive, Marietta, GA, 30066.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com