Share James Forrest Ryan's obituary with others.
Invite friends and family to read the obituary and add memories.
Stay updated
We'll notify you when service details or new memories are added.
You're now following this obituary
We'll email you when there are updates.
Please select what you would like included for printing:
1937
James
2011
James Forrest Ryan
March 4, 1937 — January 4, 2011
James Forrest Ryan, 73, of Waukon, IA, died Tuesday, January 4, 2011, at his home in Waukon following a 10 year battle with Parkinson's disease. Funeral services will be held Friday, January 7th, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Joseph Schneider and Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Thursday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 4:00 PM Scripture Service.
James Forrest Ryan was born on March 4, 1937 in Waukon, IA, the son of Forrest James and Gladys Joann (Woolstrum) Ryan. He graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon in 1955. He married Jean Hammel at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon in 1957. They had 7 children together and were later divorced. On December 15, 1988 he married Mary Ann Stendel at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. As a young man, Jim hauled milk for Bob McDonald in his dairy and drove truck for R.J. Cooney Quarry in Waukon. For the majority of his working career, Jim was involved in the livestock business. He was a ring man for several area sales barns and he bought, sold, and transported cattle through his own business, Ryan Livestock, for many years. Later on he spent several years as a bartender at the Waukon Golf and Country Club.
Jim enjoyed the outdoors and liked hunting and fishing. He also loved animals, raising horses and taking special care of his dogs Molly and Blue. Jim had an outgoing personality and made friends easily and was very proud of his Irish heritage.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Ryan of Waukon; 7 children, Deb (Mike Quam) Ryan, Donna (Ray) Mahr, and Bobby (M'Liss) Ryan, all of Waukon, Randy (Debra) Ryan of Ankeny, IA, Greg (Kristy) Ryan of Marble Falls, TX, Gary (Carrie) Ryan of Eden Prairie, MN, and Diane (James) Sommer of Geneso, IL; 2 step-children, Wanda (Henry) Fahrenholz of Anaheim, CA and Michael Jeide of Waukon; 22 grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; 1 step-great-grandchild; 2 brothers, Pat (Karran) Ryan of Decorah, IA and Mike (Deede) Ryan of Waukon; and 5 sisters, Shirley (Dave) Heilig of Vallejo, CA, Sharon Ryan of Tiffin, IA, Darlene Drew of Rochester, MN, Katherine (Dave) Hogendorn of Solon, IA, and Wanda (Chuck Morrow) Ryan of Dubuque, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Rick, John, and Joseph; and his sisters Mary Ellen and Elizabeth.
Honorary casketbearers are Ralph Welch, Jerry Sweeney, Tom White, Jim Klenske, Lou Bray, Jim Strub, Gary Soper, Ozzie Quandahl, Donald Sivesind, and Dave Breitsprecher. Casketbearers are Bryce Sivesind, Mike Kleiboer, Greg Mahoney, and Austin, Tyler, Dalton, Ross, and Reid Ryan.
James Forrest Ryan was born on March 4, 1937 in Waukon, IA, the son of Forrest James and Gladys Joann (Woolstrum) Ryan. He graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon in 1955. He married Jean Hammel at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon in 1957. They had 7 children together and were later divorced. On December 15, 1988 he married Mary Ann Stendel at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. As a young man, Jim hauled milk for Bob McDonald in his dairy and drove truck for R.J. Cooney Quarry in Waukon. For the majority of his working career, Jim was involved in the livestock business. He was a ring man for several area sales barns and he bought, sold, and transported cattle through his own business, Ryan Livestock, for many years. Later on he spent several years as a bartender at the Waukon Golf and Country Club.
Jim enjoyed the outdoors and liked hunting and fishing. He also loved animals, raising horses and taking special care of his dogs Molly and Blue. Jim had an outgoing personality and made friends easily and was very proud of his Irish heritage.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Ryan of Waukon; 7 children, Deb (Mike Quam) Ryan, Donna (Ray) Mahr, and Bobby (M'Liss) Ryan, all of Waukon, Randy (Debra) Ryan of Ankeny, IA, Greg (Kristy) Ryan of Marble Falls, TX, Gary (Carrie) Ryan of Eden Prairie, MN, and Diane (James) Sommer of Geneso, IL; 2 step-children, Wanda (Henry) Fahrenholz of Anaheim, CA and Michael Jeide of Waukon; 22 grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; 1 step-great-grandchild; 2 brothers, Pat (Karran) Ryan of Decorah, IA and Mike (Deede) Ryan of Waukon; and 5 sisters, Shirley (Dave) Heilig of Vallejo, CA, Sharon Ryan of Tiffin, IA, Darlene Drew of Rochester, MN, Katherine (Dave) Hogendorn of Solon, IA, and Wanda (Chuck Morrow) Ryan of Dubuque, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Rick, John, and Joseph; and his sisters Mary Ellen and Elizabeth.
Honorary casketbearers are Ralph Welch, Jerry Sweeney, Tom White, Jim Klenske, Lou Bray, Jim Strub, Gary Soper, Ozzie Quandahl, Donald Sivesind, and Dave Breitsprecher. Casketbearers are Bryce Sivesind, Mike Kleiboer, Greg Mahoney, and Austin, Tyler, Dalton, Ross, and Reid Ryan.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Forrest Ryan, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors