Evelyn Ruth (Peterson) RYAN

RYAN, PETERSON, HANSON, SAMLER, GRIES, RIGGENBACH, WARWICK, HACKER, SNOW

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/30/2006 at 11:35:02

Evelyn Ryan
March 28, 1920-Jan. 28, 2006

Evelyn R. Ryan, age 85 of California and formerly of Smithland, Iowa, died Saturday, January 28, 2006, in Moreno Valley, California. Services were held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, February 9 at the United Methodist Church in Smithland with Pastor Karen Handke officiating. Burial was in the Little Sioux Cemetery, Smithland. Ardith Armour was the organist and the congregation sang, "How Great Thou Art", "In The Garden" and "Amazing Grace".

Evelyn Ruth Ryan was born March 28, 1920, at Dows, Iowa, the daughter of Elmer Oliver and Millie Josephine (Hanson) Peterson. She graduated from Dows High School with the class of 1938. That same year, she was married to Leonard George Ryan in Clarion, Iowa. To this union, three daughters and four sons were born, making their home at Smithland, Iowa Along with caring for her family, Evelyn was employed outside the home as a Nurses Aide, working at Maple Heights nursing Home in Mapleton from 1970 to 1977 and at Pleasant View Nursing Home in Whiting, Iowa from 1977 to 1982. Leonard died January 4, 1983. After moving to Moreno Valley, California, Evelyn worked at Magnolia Convalescent Home in Riverside, California from 1986 to 1993. She retired in 1993 in order to be with her grandchildren. She was a member of the United Methodist Church at Smithland, Iowa along with the Ladies Aide Society there. She was later a member of the Wesleyan Christian Fellowship in Moreno Valley, California.

Survivors include three daughters, Janet Samler of Sun City, California, Donna Gries and her husband, Charles, of Fruitland, Iowa, and Tamara Riggenbach and her husband, Brian, of Moreno Valley, California; four sons and their wives, Vern and Barbara Ryan of Leona Valley, California, Terry and Sandra Ryan of Crestline, California, Lynn and Sue Ryan of Sioux City, Iowa, and Marty and Lori Ryan of Loveland, Colorado; 16 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren; and one brother, Harold Peterson of Hampton, Iowa. Along with her husband, Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, Caroline Warwick, Esther Hacker, and Mildred Snow, and two brothers, Lucien Peterson and Orville (Bud) Peterson and one grandson, Michael Ryan. Memorials may be directed in Evelyn's name to the United Methodist Church or Log Cabin in Smithland, Iowa. Pallbearers were Thomas Ryan, Lawrence Lewis, Alex Gries, Bob Gries, Cheryl Gries and Richard Gries. rrangements were made under the direction of the Armstrong Funeral Home of Mapleton.

Mapleton Press, copyright
Mapleton, Iowa