Ralph J. Ryan

Ralph J. Ryan, 87, of Gardner and formerly of Daytona Beach, Florida, died peacefully Tuesday, November 12, 2019, in UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA, following a brief illness with his family by his side.

Born in Gardner on August 27, 1932, he was the son of the late Herbert and Mildred (Seaver) Ryan. He attended Templeton High School prior to joining the United States Navy. He was a Korean War Veteran serving from 1951 to 1955 on the USS Bennington, where he received the National Service Defense Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. Ralph worked as a machine shop supervisor for Simplex Time Recorder of Gardner for 38-years before retiring in 1994. Following his retirement, he and his wife moved to Daytona Beach, Florida and lived there until 2012 before returning to Gardner.

Ralph was a member of the former Sacred Heart of Jesus Church of Gardner, a Fourth Degree and past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and was a friend of Bill W. for 53-years. He loved playing golf, working on jigsaw puzzles, and was a fan of all the Boston sports teams. Most of all, Ralph loved and cherished the time spent with his family and his grandchildren.

He leaves his wife of 64-years Loretta G. (LeBlanc) Ryan of Gardner; two sons Steven M. Ryan and his wife Kay of Londonderry, NH, and Thomas E. Ryan and his wife Holly of Gardner; two daughters Debra A. Dobbins and her husband James of Medford, MA and Kathy M. Ryan of Templeton; twelve grandchildren Jennifer Taft, James, Christopher, Patrick, Joseph, and Brandon Dobbins, Casey, Sean, Kelsey, Meghan, Mitchell, and Connor Ryan; ten great-grandchildren, Shaine, Kyle and Brian Taft, Jackson, Luke, Theo, Grant, and Ethan Dobbins, Brody and Cooper Ryan; one brother Martin Ryan and his wife Judy of Wells, Maine; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was predeceased by one daughter Patricia Ryan; one brother Herbert Ryan; and his sister Betty Kozlowski.

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, November 19, 2019, from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc. 110 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA, with a Mass at 12:30 p.m. in Annunciation Parish at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA.

Calling Hours will be held Monday, November 18, 2019, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the funeral home.

Memorial Contributions can be made to AED Foundation, Inc./ Alyssa’s Place 297 Central Street, Gardner, MA 01440, or to the GVNA Healthcare, Inc. 34 Pearly Lane, Gardner, MA 01440. Please reference in memory of Ralph J. Ryan.