Gordon Ryan

Gordon Ryan, 65, from Moses Lake, formerly of Wenatchee, passed away Saturday, April 4, 2009. His long battle with cancer and other health complications came to an end quietly with his family by his side.

Memorial services will be held at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, 2009, at the Moses Lake First Presbyterian Church. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel & Crematory, Moses Lake. You may sign the guest book or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com.

The eldest son of Eugene and Jean Ryan of Ephrata, Gordon attended junior and senior high school in Ephrata. He got his amateur radio license at age 13. After graduating high school, he joined the Navy and survived the Vietnam War. After his discharge, he taught amateur radio to blind children in Los Angeles. He met his wife Tally and in 1967 they were married. Gordon loved Washington. He and Tally moved to Yakima and had their first daughter, Sharon. He earned his AA and transferred to WSU, where he lost his left hand in a near death experience, but he still got his BA in Business. In Spokane, their second daughter, Debra, was born. They moved to Seattle where he became a manager at Pacific Northwest Bell. Their third daughter, Michele, was born and he obtained his master’s from University of Puget Sound. He later formed his own financial consulting business in Redmond, Wash. A few years later he, his family and his business moved to Wenatchee, where he truly enjoyed living. He was involved with Habitat for Humanity and Rotary. He sang and performed with the Wenatchee Apollo Club across the Northwest and in Canada. Music was always a big part of his life. In 1996 he had a stroke, and in 1998 he and his wife retired to Moses Lake. Gordon always liked fishing. He was a member of the Potholes Bass Club and the Central Washington Amateur Radio Club. He taught classes in defensive driving, was a Tax-Aide to the elderly and low-income. He went to Mississippi as a volunteer to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. He pursued interests in: singing, bowling (scoring a 299), hunting, teaching, speaking (where he encouraged high school audiences to pursue higher education), building (a 4-bedroom 2-story house after he had lost his left hand), people-watching, writing (he wrote a book in 1992 and several publications), traveling, landscaping, dancing, baking, cooking and photography. He discovered that Jesus came to pay the price for his salvation, making a place in the family home which is now in heaven, and that He did those out of a heart of love.

Gordon will be remembered for his love of life, sense of humor and optimism. He will be truly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Tally; daughters, Sharon O’Hara, Debra Kettel, and Michele Davidson; his brother, Greg Ryan; sister, Pamela Andresen; his nephews, Spencer Ryan and Jared Parks; nieces, Lindsay Elfrink and Allison Meyer; his grandchildren, Justin, Meghan and Morgan O’Hara, Joshua and Matthew Kettel, and Hunter and Levi Davidson; his aunt, Wanda, and several cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Jean Ryan, and by his grandson, Caleb, whom he can also now enjoy in heaven.