Obituary of Thomas Francis Ryan
Thomas Francis Ryan, 94, of Poughkeepsie, New York, passed away peacefully at his home on May 26, 2024.
Tom was born on February 26, 1930 to Thomas J. and Helen Ryan in Jackson Heights, Queens. Growing up in Staten Island, the son of Irish immigrants, Tom was the third of eleven children, having nine brothers and one sister.
Tom was an active child, especially excelling at football and baseball. He graduated from Cathedral Preparatory School in Manhattan in 1948 and soon after joined the Air Force, where he worked primarily with radar systems.
After nearly four years in the Air Force, Tom spent 18 months in Fairbanks, Alaska working for International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. Upon returning from Alaska, Tom used the G.I. bill to attend Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was in Fort Wayne he met his wife Marita (nee Heminger), and the couple married in August 1958.
Tom and Marita made the biggest leap of all by moving to Poughkeepsie in 1959 after Tom secured a job with IBM. He was an active member of his community, and among other things served as a coach and president for the Town of Poughkeepsie South Little League, an umpire, and a religious education teacher at St. Mary’s in Wappingers. Tom volunteered at many events in the Spackenkill School District, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a passionate, albeit frustrated, fan of both the Jets and Mets.
His greatest joy, however, was his children. He and Marita raised six kids and were kept young by their 12 grandchildren. Tom attended countless concerts, recitals, and sporting events in which they participated.
Tom retired from IBM in 1989, but continued to stay extremely active. In his retirement, Tom worked part time at the Galleria Mall’s service desk for over 20 years. He also continued golfing regularly well into his 80s. His last round was in 2023 at the age of 93.
Tom was predeceased by his brothers, Joseph, John, and Denis, and his sister Kathleen. He is survived by his wife, Marita, his 6 children – Ann (William) Johnson, Mary (James) Guarnaccia, Thom (Jennifer) Ryan, Terence (Sheri) Ryan, Michael (Mimi) Ryan, and Coleen (Ryan) Cunningham – 12 grandchildren – Mark, Matthew (Erica Treventi), Thomas Jay, Daniel, Fiona, Ava, Makayla, Anna, Sean, Patrick, Easter, and Charlie, and one great grandchild, Eliana. Whenever he was with his great granddaughter, he would tell anyone who would listen, “she made me great.” Tom is also survived by six of his brothers- Jeremiah, Patrick, James, Martin, Robert, and Kevin, and by many nieces and nephews.
Tom’s wake will be held at Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home on Thursday, May 30, 2024 from 4pm-8pm, with a mass of catholic burial held at St. Martin de Porres Church on Friday, May 31 at 9:15am. In lieu of flowers, Tom’s family requests donations be made to Hudson Valley Hospice, or to local youth sports organizations.
