Dennis William Ryan
August 9, 1952 ~ May 27, 2011
Our son, brother, and uncle, Dennis William Ryan passed away suddenly on May 27 at Bonners Ferry, Idaho at the age of 58.
Dennis was born August 9, 1952 in Kerrobert, SK and was raised in Luseland, SK. He was an active participant in the family business, the Royal George Hotel. After graduation he attended the University of Saskatchewan and then took Business Administration at NAIT. In 1973 he started his career in the Western Arctic with The Hudson's Bay Co. and then Northern Stores. From Tuktoyaktuk to Iqualuit and many places in between he worked as a store clerk, store manager, Inuit Art and Fur Buyer and finished his 29-year career as Loss Prevention Manager in Fort Smith, NWT. He served as a Justice of the Peace in the NWT for many years. In semi retirement he spent his winters at Twin Bays, BC on Kootenay Lake and his summers doing relief work for Northern Stores. In 2005 he entered real retirement and settled in Creston, BC to be near his family. Dennis was a very knowledgeable person, very interested in current affairs and enjoyed following the process of politics and law. He was a diehard Montreal Canadians fan and bled green for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was a season ticket holder for the Creston Thunder Cats junior hockey and rarely missed a game. He loved hockey and attended many World and Junior Tournaments in such places as Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Halifax, Quebec City and Saskatoon. He had his tickets for the upcoming World Junior Hockey in Edmonton. He followed and participated in his brother's hockey career taking in many RBC and WJAC championships. He was also a curling fan and attended most Western Canada Briers. He also had his tickets for the coming Saskatoon Brier.
He was a very good uncle to his nieces Julie, Emily and Molly, and nephews Jay, Mackenzie and Marshall. He took particular interest in the hockey careers of Mac, Emily and Marshall, following their stats via the internet and making trips to Saskatchewan to take on the "Uncle Buck" role and becoming their rink rat. He was very proud of their accomplishments and could be counted on to email the action shots from the Notre Dame web gallery to his family. Dennis was an avid supporter of his youngest niece Molly's dance career and was a welcomed, active and loved member of the Ryan clan. He was very proud of the wonderful young adults that Julie and Jay have become. Dennis was witty, mischievous, generous, a lover of dogs (not so much cats) and loved a good cup of coffee. His sister, Sandie, will miss the two-hour phone calls talking about everything and about nothing. Catch you later Dennis.
Dennis was predeceased by his dad Leo Ryan; stepfather Joe Heffner; grandparents Dennis and Margaret Ryan and William and Margaret Dobrowolsky, and numerous aunts and uncles. He will be lovingly missed by his mother Kay (Ryan) Heffner of Creston, BC; sisters Peggy (Rick) Lazorko of Creston, Sandie (Cliff) Wilson of Saskatoon; and his brother Laury (Rhonda) Ryan of Wilcox. He also leaves the lights of his life nieces and nephews Julie Wilson of Saskatoon, Jay Ryan Lazorko of Victoria, Mackenzie, Emily, Marshall and Molly Ryan of Wilcox.
There will be no funeral service.
Interment will take place at a later date in the Ryan Family plot at Luseland Cemetery.