MATTHEW THOMAS RYAN 1927-2006

BUCKLEY, RYAN, THIELE, MCFALL, RAVIS, OSTERHOLM

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 2/15/2006 at 20:36:49

Matthew Ryan

Matthew T. Ryan, 78, of Waukon, Iowa, died Wednesday, February 1, 2006, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Monday, February 6 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Joseph Schneider officiating. Burial with graveside military rites was in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon was in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Waukon Pioneer Fire Company, the Good Samaritan Center, or St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Matthew Thomas Ryan was born September 9, 1927, in Waukon, the son of Thomas Edward and Kathryn Clementina (Buckley) Ryan. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 1945. Matt enlisted in the US Navy immediately following graduation and served until May of 1946, seeing some of his duty at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He returned to Waukon following the service and went to work for Nesheim Cleaners.

October 20, 1952, he married Ruby Elizabeth Thiele in Rochester, Minn. Eventually, Matt bought the dry cleaning business, which he operated for many years as Ryan Cleaners in Waukon. After retiring from the dry cleaning business, he continued to operate a carpet cleaning business, worked as custodian at the Waukon Post Office, and was the manager at the Waukon Golf and Country Club for several years.

Matt was a longtime, dedicated member and former Chief of the Waukon Pioneer Fire Company, a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s, where he liked to usher and lector at the early mass, and was a 50 year member of both the American Legion and VFW. He liked people and during his working career, looked forward to the daily ritual of meeting his friends for coffee at the S&D Cafe. Matt also enjoyed a variety of sports throughout his life, playing on the town baseball team in his younger days, seldom missing an opening day of pheasant season, working as a referee for high school basketball, and serving on the chain gang for the local high school football games.

Survivors include his five children, Jeff (Julie) Ryan of Ankeny, Iowa, Scott (Debbie) Ryan of Hutchinson, Minn., Lisa (Scott) McFall of Springfield, Mo., Rick (Shimene) Ryan of Jacksonville, Fla., and Beth (John) Ravis of Yukon, Okla.; a daughter-in-law, Mary Ryan of Washburn, Iowa; 13 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, Paul (Anna Mae) Ryan of Oelwein, Iowa; a sister, Abigail Osterholm of Waukon; and a very special friend and niece, Lady Branham of Chicago, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Ruby, who died in 1999; a son Tom, who died in 2003; a half-brother, Roger Ryan; and a half-sister, Sr. Romona Marie, BVM.

Casketbearers were Sean, John, Jamie, Zach, and Alec Ryan and Ryan McFall. Honorary casketbearers were members of the Waukon Pioneer Fire Company.

Waukon Standard, February 8, 2006