Harry W. Ryan

Harry W. Ryan, 96, of Marietta, and a former resident of both Cleveland and Dover, died Tuesday, October 5, 2010, in Marietta Memorial Hospital, following a brief illness.

Born, September 8, 1914, in Cleveland, he was a son of the late Harry J. and Emma L. Wallace Ryan. Harry graduated from Cathedral Latin High School in Cleveland , and went on to earn his Bachelor's Degree from John Carroll University. He married the former Rose M. "Peg" Doyle on October 31, 1942. Harry was employed for over thirty-eight years by the Pennsylvania Railroad, Lake Division, retiring in 1978. He was a devoted family man a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Harry was a member of St. Mary Church in Marietta and had also belonged to St. Ignatius Church in Cleveland and St. Joseph Church in Dover. He was a member of the Third Order of Secular Franciscans and the senior citizens group of St. Joseph Church. Harry was past-president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, and was an active member of the Tuscarawas County YMCA.

He greatly enjoyed reading and was a prolific letter writer, keeping in touch with his large family, many friends and acquaintances. He especially liked poetry, which he would often recite from memory. He was definitely a "people person," and in his retirement worked as a security guard at the former Joy Manufacturing and as a greeter at Wal-Mart where he would give quarters to children who would recite their ABC's.

Survivors include seven sons, Thomas (Joyce) Ryan of Springfield, Dennis (Marceda) Ryan of The Villages, FL, Daniel (Margaret) Ryan of North Olmsted, Timothy (Barbara) Ryan of Southlake, TX, James (Jean) Ryan of Burlington, WI, Sean (Yan) Ryan of Naples, FL, and Christopher (Cynthia) Ryan of New Hope, PA; a daughter, Mary (Edward) Tappel of Marietta; twenty-eight grandchildren, Sean, Mark and Michael Ryan, Dawn Wobbe, Denise Kueny and Keith Ryan, Shannon Sikorski, Daniel, Kevin and Bridget Ryan, Thomas, Patrick, Mary Ellen Sterling, Timothy, Mark, and Carrie Ryan, Brion, Holly and Timothy Ryan, Blair and Patrick Ryan, Jennifer Funston, Todd and Melissa Ryan, Colleen, Ryan, Molly and Emma Tappel; twenty-five great-grandchildren; a brother, William V. Ryan of Danville, PA; several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Harry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Peg; a granddaughter, Angel Ryan; and a sister, Kaye Paskert.

Family and friends are invited to call Friday, October 8, 9 10 a.m. in St. Mary Church, Marietta. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 10 a.m. in the church with Msgr. John Michael Campbell officiating. Interment will be Friday at 1:30 p.m. in Calvary Cemetery, Dover. Following the committal, there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover. Friends in the Dover area are most certainly welcome to attend the committal service and luncheon. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Harry, please visit the Toland-Herzig website and click on Obituaries.

The family suggests that contributions in Harry's memory be made to the St. Mary Church Restoration Fund, 506 Fourth St., Marietta, OH 45750.

Toland_Herzig, Dover
330-343-6132
www.tolandherzig.com