Mary Ryan

Crystal Lake, Illinois,MARY JANE RYAN Mary Jane Ryan, age 87, of Crystal Lake, Illinois passed away on December 8, 2010. Mary Jane was forever a Democrat, a Notre Dame fan, a great wit, a devout Catholic, the last to leave the party, the first to offer help, a constant friend, a consummate reader, and always the smartest woman in the room. Following their first dance together, she was forever in love with her husband, Thomas Stewart Ryan. She was born on January 20 1923, to the late William and Helen Riley. Preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Stewart Ryan, Sr. and her son Thomas Stewart Ryan, Jr. Mary Jane graduated from Crystal Lake High School in 1941 and attended Clark and Mundelein Colleges before serving in the Marine Corps during World War II, and is honored in the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington, D.C. She married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Stewart Ryan, in 1943. They had 11 children, 29 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. Mary Jane worked for the Crystal Lake Herald and was the founding co-editor of Barrington Lifestyles Magazine and Crystal Lake Lifestyles Magazine. She volunteered for the Raue Center of the Arts, St. Thomas Parish, St. Jude, Faith in Action, and PADS of McHenry County Human Services. She also served as an election official. Mary Jane will be deeply missed by her sister and closest friend, Sr. Maria Riley, O.P. of Washington, D.C.; and her brothers, Robert Riley of Chicago, Ill.; James (Maureen) Riley of Lake Forest, Ill.; and her sisters-in-law, Nancy Wahl Riley of Huntley, Ill.; Nancy Byrnes Riley of Lake Forest, Ill.; Mary Jo Riley of Woodstock, Ill.; Marjorie (Peter) Bambach of Bradenton, Fla.; and Liz Imlah of Nashville, Tenn. Preceded in death by her brothers and sister-in-law, Thomas Riley; Fred Riley; Philip Riley; William and Isabelle Riley. Her children remember their mother with great love and affection: Patricia (Wolfgang) Langheinrich of Raleigh, N.C.; Susan (James Stiegman) Ryan of Washington, D.C.; predeceased Thomas Stewart (Karen) Ryan of McHenry, Ill.; Mary Beth (William) Shaffer of Milwaukee, Wis.; Jean (Brad) Adrian of Grant, Fla.; Brenna Ryan of Carbondale, Colo.; Kathleen (Robert) Dakin of New Canaan, Conn.; Mary Jane (Craig) Borg of Mokena, Ill.; Mary Helen (Paul) Markovich of Austin, Tex.; Timothy (Melanie) Ryan of Crystal Lake, Ill.; Mollie (John) Stock of Atlanta, Ga. Her 29 grandchildren will miss their Grannies? inquisitive conversations and her unerring memory of the details of their lives, as well as world events: Christian (Nancy) Langheinrich; Sarah (John) Wise; Peter Langheinrich; Emily Kitzmiller; Amanda Kitzmiller; Morgan (Josh) Spencer; Colleen Ryan; Thomas Ryan; Erin Shaffer; Jonathan Shaffer; Rebecca Shaffer; Alisha (Jonathon) Alexander; Ashley (Klaus) Krause; Isaac Ellis; Daniel Ellis; Alexander Dakin; Caroline Dakin; Margaret Dakin; John Dakin, Kristin (Adam) Behrns; Erick Borg; Noel Borg; Marjorie Jayne Borg; Peter Markovich; Katherine Markovich; Anne Markovich; Madeline Ryan; Katie Ryan; and Jack Ryan. Mary Jane is further survived by seven great-grandchildren: Olivia Wise, Stella Jane Wise, Thomas Wise, Ryan Spencer, Hannah Spencer, Gregory Krause, and Emma Alexander. Mary Jane also leaves behind numerous loving nieces, nephews, and close friends including those in her prayer group and her Knitwits group. Visitation will be held in the vestibule of St. Thomas the Apostle Church located at 451 West Terra Cotta Ave. between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Monday, December 13, 2010. The Mass of the Resurrection will begin at 11 a.m. in St Thomas Church. The celebrant is Fr. James Hug, S.J. Burial at Crystal Lake Memorial Park, 8012 Ridgefield Road, Crystal Lake, will immediately follow the mass. Memorials (in lieu of flowers) may be sent to Faith In Action, PADS, or The Center of Concern, Washington, D.C.

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