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William Patrick Ryan 1933 – 2025
Pat Ryan of Eagle Harbor, Michigan passed away on February 18, 2025 at the hospital in Laurium Michigan where he was born on October 19, 1933. A life-long resident of the Keweenaw, he descended from mid-1840’s immigrants to the area – Cornish Miners on his maternal side and Irish tradespeople on his paternal side. He is pre-deceased by his parents, John Paul Ryan and Helen Bennetts Ryan, his brother John Paul Ryan Jr, sister-in-law JoAnne Ryan, brother-in-law Ford Rea, daughters Clare Stephanie (Ryan) Mulholland and Andrea Margaret Ryan and Jim Johnson, partner of his eldest daughter.
Pat is survived by his wife of 69 years and 8 months (precisely!), Mary Jean (Finnegan), his sister Ann Grenfell Rea (Greg Glowe), children Mary Ryan, Norah Ryan, Pat Ryan, Ruth Ryan Lessard, son in law Ron Lessard, granddaughter Ryan Leigh Vaughan, and great grandson Ezra Vredevoogd (father Bryce). Beloved Uncle Pat to his extended family, Annette Kersting (Paul), Caryn Sue Ryan (Thomas Yunck), Nancy Jo Backman, Laurie Margaret Ryan, Robin Joyce Ryan (Mike Cronley), Colleen (Kors) Hansen and Kevin Kors.
Pat developed a special relationship with his brother’s daughters, and is the grandfather figure in the life of their children and grandchildren. Ryan David and Meredith Kersting (children Charlotte & Logan), Michael Paul Kersting, Sarah Kersting Herbert (Tonya Herbert), Lydia Marie Kersting, Andrew Pedelty (Kendra Buchanan), Katy Ryan Pedelty (Wes Gibbs; father Ron Pedelty), Bridgette and Bennett Backman (father Bruce), Jesse Lee and Victoria Myrick (children Evalynn & Violet), Jamie Leigh Anne and Joshua Tyler King, (children Liam & Chloe), Elizabeth Ann and David Wilson (children Luke & AnnaBeth), and John Ryan Haase.
Pat and his wife Jean opened their hearts and home to many, including especially their nephew Richard Westergard (Heide) who spent formative years with them. Pat is the US grandpa to Dick’s daughters Britt Westergard (Brad Sporleder) and Kirsten Westergard (Locke Newell).
During his elementary and junior high school years, in addition to the local Keweenaw schools – John Duncan school in Laurium and Washington school in Calumet – Pat attended school in the many US locations where his father was posted during his military career (Alexandria, LA; Hattiesburg MS; Pueblo CO; Columbia SC; Linglestown PA and Shelbyville TN). A graduate of Calumet High School, Pat first attended Michigan Technological University, then while working full-time obtained his undergraduate Engineering degree at Wayne State University. He went on to graduate school, earning a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering at Oakland University.
Pat began his career early; as a teenager he operated a gas station in Eagle Harbor with his brother Paul. Summer work during college included the Iroquois copper mine. He also served with the National Guard in Grayling, MI. Pat worked for Vickers Hydraulics, was proprietor of a Sunoco gas station in Royal Oak, Michigan, and worked for General Motors at the Warren, Michigan Tech Center in the Service Research division. While at GM, Pat tackled various projects, including research on the effect of the ash fall from the Mt St Helens volcanic explosion on cars, collaborated on a project to reduce the size of the ozone hole, and patented then received a GM award for a diesel diagnostic tool that was the precursor to diagnostic tools in common use in the automotive industry today.
After his career in the automotive industry, Pat obtained a general contracting license. His handy work can be seen in many of the homes and cottages of Eagle Harbor. Pat continued working until late in life, including building a 2-car garage when he was 80 years old with Michael and Paul Kersting.
His life was full of music, playing saxophone from high school and throughout his adult life, including the Royal Oak Community Band, the Birmingham Concert Band and the ‘Harborites’. Pat took pride in his volunteer work, including serving for Focus: Hope in Detroit, acting as a docent at the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse and renovating antique cider presses for the Keweenaw County Historical Society, and building wood duck houses for the Gratiot Lake Conservancy. Pat was also proud to be an unabashed liberal and related his experience of being arrested during the civil rights era for acts of peaceful civil disobedience. Pat found joy hunting for thimbleberries in the woods of the Keweenaw, then making jam that he mostly gave away.
The entire Ryan family is deeply appreciative of the love, respect and care the Keweenaw community afforded Pat throughout his life.
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