James E. RYAN

RYAN, MCBRIDE, COURT, RYAN-SANDFORD, SANDFORD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/15/2010 at 23:39:37

James E. Ryan was born September 2, 1917 in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Frank J. and Marie (McBride) Ryan. He married Ruth B. Court on September 3, 1939, at the Little Brown Church, near Nashua, Iowa. James was a graduate of Clarion High School and attended ISTC (UNI). He served with the U.S. Army in the European Theatre during WW II, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. James was the Safety Coordinator for many years at Carnation Dairy and later Swiss Valley Farms Dairy in Waterloo, Iowa. He was a member and Past Commander of the Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 49 and was Past President of the Cedar Falls Lions Club, where he was named Lion of the Year in 1971. James spent many hours volunteering his time with the Sartori Auxiliary, the Cedar Falls Senior Activity Center, the Cedar Falls Historical Society and the Western Home Communities. He died Saturday, January 27, 2001, at Sartori Memorial Hospital in Cedar Falls, Iowa, at 83 years of age. James is survived by his wife Ruth, of Cedar Falls; his three children, Thomas D. Ryan (Joyce) of Whitewater, Wisconsin, Steven J. Ryan (Melanie) of Delavan, Wisconsin and Jane E. Ryan-Sandford (Clark) of Seattle, Washington, and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents. Funeral services were 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 31, 2001, at the funeral home, with burial at Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens in Cedar Falls. Military committal rites will be conducted by Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 49. Memorials may be directed to the American Heart Association, the Cedar Falls Lions Club Sight Saving Program and the Western Home Communities.