Tuesday

Bill's Obituary

William Ryan
William Thomas Ryan, age 68, of Seymour, the beloved husband of Dawn E. Williams Ryan for 49 years, entered into eternal rest on August 4, 2009 at Bridgeport Hospital due to complications from a serious burn accident, surrounded by his loving family.

Bill was born in Milford, CT on October 9, 1940, the beloved son of the late Howard and Helen Macfarlane Ryan. He was a former member of the Great Hill Methodist Church. He was a Master Mason of Ansantawae Lodge #89 A.F. and A.M. of Milford. Bill was also a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of New Haven, as well as the York Rite Commandery #2, Hamilton Commandery #5, and the Pyramid Shriners #9, Milford.

Bill was a resident of Seymour for 37 years and was the Owner and President of Ryan Contractors and Builders of Seymour. He was a Board Member of the Inland/Wetlands Commission of Seymour and a Board Member of the Seymour High School Building Commmittee. Bill was a former volunteer member of the Devon (Milford) Firefighters Company #4. He was also an avid custom car enthusiast, a voracious reader, and enjoyed gardening and skiing.

He will be sadly missed by his family and many friends. His loving family, in addition to his beloved wife, Dawn, includes his cherished children, James Ryan and his wife, Jackie, of Maine; his daughter Nancy Smerekanicz and her husband Joseph, of Southbury; and his daughter Kerry Smith and her husband, Noel of Ansonia; his loving sister, Cora Nichols of Oxford; his caring brother, Howard Ryan and his wife, Maureen, of Southbury; his cherished grandchildren, Jamie, Jeremy, Samantha, Ashley, Brandon, Elizabeth, and Ellie and four loving great-grandchildren, Charity, Taner, Trinity, and Wynter; and several caring nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his beloved brother, Jim Ryan.

Friends and relatives may call at the Funeral Home on THURSDAY evening from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Interment will be held in Mountain Meadows Cemetery, Seymour. A Masonic Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening, at the Funeral Home.

A Funeral Service in celebration of Bills’ life will be held FRIDAY at 11:00 am in the chapel of the MILLER-WARD FUNERAL HOME, 260 Banks Street, Seymour, (across from Klarides Village) with the Reverend Walter Pittman, Pastor of the United Church of Christ, Southbury, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family strongly requests that memorial gifts in Bill’s name be made to The Bridgeport Hospital Foundation Burn Fund, 267 Grant Street, Bridgeport, CT 06610.

24 comments:

  1. I am so grateful to be one of the many to know and love Bill. Known to me as "Dad Ryan" and he was just that. Always embracing, teaching and laughing.

    Mom Ryan, Nancy, Jim and Kerry- My prayers are with you. May the memories you’ve made be a comfort at this time.

    Love, Sarah

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  2. Please accept our deepest condolences. Our thoughts and prayers our with all of you.
    The Ganz Family

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  3. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. I am so sorry for your loss.
    Linda Fabian

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  4. God bless our "best man". Our deepest love and hearfelt sympathy.
    Mary Ann & John

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  5. To the Ryan Family: We feel your sadness, and pain of the Heart. Just know, Bill is in Good Hands now and feels no pain. It is hard to say and come to terms, but Bill is the lucky one to be with Our Great Creator. God Bless you all. The Ryan Family is in our thoughts and prayers.

    Our Deepest Sympathy....

    Darren & Susie Zombro

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  6. Barbara & John and Ethan AdamsAugust 5, 2009 at 10:37 AM

    I unfortunatly can not be there, but wanted you to know that I am there with you in spirit and prayers. Our love goes out to the entire family and our prayers are with you. I wish I could be there, but know you are all in our hearts always. The world has suffered a great loss, and Heaven has an angel!
    We love you!
    Sincerely,
    Barbara & John and Ethan Adams (De Soiza-Adams Family)
    xoxxoxxoxox

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  7. We are sorry we did not know the man. Our hearts are heavy for your loss. All our love to the entire family. We know he will be missed.

    Love to you all,
    Scott, Tracey, Zack, Max and Arlene Sniffen

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  8. Mr. Ryan, (I never could call him Bill) has been a part of my family for as long as I can remember. More recently, as my own family grew, he became known as Papa Ryan by my children. They would get so excited when they saw his blue pick truck up pull in!
    Papa Ryan always had our kids' on his mind, which means so very much to us. His heart was always in the right place. Like when he would ring the doorbell at 7am on a Saturday morning to tell us about a great new idea he had for our house....!
    We are continually reminded of Papa Ryan and how much he loved us. We love him very much and we will miss him dearly.
    Our deepest sympathy to the entire Ryan family. You are in our prayers.
    Love Keith, Amy, Annabelle, Keegan & Georgia Simons

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  9. All of us here at Nation Electric send our deepest sympathy to your family. He was a pleasure to work with with a outstanding individual. I am sure your family is very proud of all the accomplishments Bill has had over the years. He will be sadly missed.

    Robert R Mills IV and the employees from Nation Electrical Contracting

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  10. Dawn and family
    The news saddens me deeply. I have fond memories of my cousin billy, I remembor the family picknics in Milford, Bills helping me replace the ceiling in my mom and dads house in Straford during a family crisis when I was only 17. But mostly I remember the joy and happyness my mom Lois had whenever he called Aunt Lois on the phone, which he did all the time. He will be deeply missed by all. I whish I could get away to be here, but you are all in my heart and thoughts. Cousin Dave

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  11. DAWN AND FAMILY IM IN SHOCK AS ARE THE REST OF HIS FRIENDS IN THE CAR COMMUNITY.WE WISH WE COULD HAVE SEEN HIM,BUT WILL REMEMBER HIM AS A LOVING GENEROSE FRIEND,LAURA AND I HAVE BEEN YOUR FRIENDS FOR 30 PLUS YEARS AND WILL MISS WILD BILL SO MUCH.ANYTHING YOU NEED THAT WE CAN DO PLEASE CALL GLENN,LAURA

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  12. Dawn and Family, We very much want to be there with you but can't. We are praying for you and family. Dawn I will write you a letter. All our love Tony & Cilla

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  13. To Mrs. Ryan & family. My family & I are very sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Ryan. I have known Mr. Ryan and have worked with him for over 15 years. He was a great man, fun, had a big heart, and always helped people out. He was a caring and loving man. He embodied a great deal of compassion for others. I am grateful to know Mr. Ryan and he will be missed deeply. Our sympathy and prayers to the family in this time of loss.

    Love, BunSeng & Eng

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  14. Dawn and family,

    Robert and I are so saddened and sorry for your loss. Bill was a wonderful man and a great friend to the Kluczinsky family. He will be greatly missed and many fond memories will be cherished forever. Our thoughts go out to your family during this difficult and tragically sad time.

    Love,

    Deborah & Robert Kluczinsky, Jr.

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  15. Dear Dawn, Kerry, Nancy and Jimmy

    We are so sad to hear of Bills passing, we remember so many happy times and life-long good advice from a wise soul who we badly wanted to bring to New Zealand.

    We are thinking of you all at this sad time, and our prayers are with you.

    With lots of love,

    Your Kiwi family, Mike, Jo, Johanna, Jessica

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  16. My family and I would like to express our deepest sympathy to the Ryan family.

    I didn't know Papa Ryan very well but I know he loved his family and they him. You will be sorely missed.

    My prayers are with you as they were while we prayed for his recovery.

    Lots of love,

    Your Antiguan family, Kareem, Graeme, Genny and George

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  17. Dear Ryans. Walter I am sure welcomed Billie with open arms. Now he has a friend with him. Perhaps they are ridding the motorcycle together up there as the did as younger boys down in Milford in the Gardens.

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  18. I must say I have a Bill Ryan original in my possession - a very large photo that was framed for my 40th birthday (many years ago)while sunbathing during a cruise we all went on. Ah the good ol' days. Also Carrie, we can remember the racehorse we decorated together on that cruise - didn't we win?

    Then there is the pigroast the two Bills slaved over for the western picnic.

    I have so many but what I'll miss the most is the that infamous knock on my door. I would know that knock - one short tap and two to follow. Just a month ago he came to the door and I told Darya "That's Bill Ryan" and she said how do you know. And I said I know his knock and there he stood with that smile that made you smile.

    Dar and I used to walk to the track but now our direction is going to turn the other way to visit our dear friend.

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  19. FROM THE CAR CLUB HERE IN NEWPORTNEWS VIRGINIA. WE ARE SO SORRY TOO HEAR ABOUT YOUR LOST.WE HERE AT CLASSIC CRUISES CAR CLUB.SEND YOU OUR PRAYES.MAY GOD BE WITH YOU .
    C.C.C.C.

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  20. Dear Ryan family..
    What a great tribute to a fabulous man...soooooo many visitors went to the funeral home.Each had a little story or positive comment about Bill, as we stood in line to deliver our condolences to the family.The photos around the room were teriffic,what good memories you captured!
    We loved the green beans,cukes and pepper in the casket,Bill's garden was always a source of pleasure to him and sharing the produce gave him greater pleasure. He was one super human being,loved by so many.Everyone who knew him will miss him.Heaven is fortunate to have Bill.
    Much love to all the family,Harold("Red")and Margaret Smith

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  21. Dear Dawn, Jim, Nancy, and Kerry, and Beloved Family,

    I received the news of Bill's pasing with the deepest sorrow and a heavy heart. He was full of life, was ready to spend more leisure time with friends and family, but God called him home too soon. My regret was I made plan to see all of you last year and had to cancel it last minute. I will have to wait to see Bill in our Eternity. Bill is forever in my Mass prayers. I will miss him as you and others kwowing him will. Bill was such a warm and caring man. He taught me to be strong, believed in myself, understood the virtue of hard work and independence. He and Dawn welcomed and embraced me as their son, my family as their extended family. May God shelter Dawn and the family in His wings always and especially in this difficult period.

    Love Always,

    Hung, Tam, Justin, and Tiffany Le, San Jose, CA

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  22. Dear Nancy and Family,

    We were not fortunate enough to know your Dad but certainly could glean from all the wonderful notes about him that he was someone very special. Please accept our condolences and wishes for peace in knowing that he is a good place now!

    With love,
    John, Lisa, Conor, Kieran and Declan Hannigan

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  23. Dear Ryan family,

    I came across this blog because I have spent many recent days in the Bridgeport Hospital burn unit waiting room. Yesterday I finally noticed the plaque with Bill's name on it and in searching online, I found this blog. It's clear that Bill lived a full life and was loved by many, and I want you to know that his memory lives on and is honored by all the thankful people who spend difficult moments in that waiting room. Thank you for your contribution.

    All the best,
    Sarah Shapiro

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