RYAN, James Forrest --- 1937-2011

WOOLSTRUM, RYAN, HAMMEL, STENDEL, SOMMER, FAHRENHOLZ, JEIDE, HEILIG, DREW, HOGENDORN

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 2/18/2011 at 09:15:15

James Ryan

James Forrest Ryan, 73, of Waukon died Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at his home in Waukon following a 10-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Funeral services were held Friday, January 7 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Joseph Schneider, Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg and Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial was at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.
James Forrest Ryan was born March 4, 1937 in Waukon, the son of Forrest James and Gladys Joann (Woolstrum) Ryan. He graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon in 1955. He married Jean Hammel at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon in 1957. They had seven children together and were later divorced. December 15, 1988 he married Mary Ann Stendel at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.
As a young man, Jim hauled milk for Bob McDonald in his dairy and drove truck for R.J. Cooney Quarry in Waukon. For the majority of his working career, Jim was involved in the livestock business. He was a ring man for several area sales barns and he bought, sold, and transported cattle through his own business, Ryan Livestock, for many years. Later on, he spent several years as a bartender at the Waukon Golf and Country Club.
Jim enjoyed the outdoors and liked hunting and fishing. He also loved animals, raising horses and taking special care of his dogs, Molly and Blue. Jim had an outgoing personality and made friends easily and was very proud of his Irish heritage.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Ryan of Waukon; seven children, Deb (Mike Quam) Ryan, Donna (Ray) Mahr, and Bobby (M’Liss) Ryan, all of Waukon, Randy (Debra) Ryan of Ankeny, Greg (Kristy) Ryan of Marble Falls, TX, Gary (Carrie) Ryan of Eden Prairie, MN, and Diane (James) Sommer of Geneseo, IL; two step-children, Wanda (Henry) Fahrenholz of Anaheim, CA and Michael Jeide of Waukon; 22 grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one step-great-grandchild; two brothers, Pat (Karran) Ryan of Decorah, and Mike (Deede) Ryan of Waukon; and five sisters, Shirley (Dave) Heilig of Vallejo, CA, Sharon Ryan of Tiffin, Darlene Drew of Rochester, MN, Katherine (Dave) Hogendorn of Solon, and Wanda (Chuck Morrow) Ryan of Dubuque. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Rick, John and Joseph; and his sisters, Mary Ellen and Elizabeth.
Honorary casket bearers were Ralph Welch, Jerry Sweeney, Tom White, Jim Klenske, Lou Bray, Jim Strub, Gary Soper, Ozzie Quandahl, Donald Sivesind and Dave Breitsprecher. Casket bearers were Bryce Sivesind, Mike Kleiboer, Greg Mahoney, and Austin, Tyler, Dalton, Ross and Reid Ryan.

The Waukon Standard, January 12, 2011

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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