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Obituary for Irving "Skip" W. Ryan
Irving “Skip” William Ryan Jr., 75, a longtime resident of Milford, NH passed away at home on October 30, 2021. He was born September 22, 1946, in Windsor, VT to parents Irving “Buster” and Mary (Palluotto) Ryan. He grew up on the base of Mount Ascutney, an idyllic location where his family gardened and tapped maple trees and where he learned to ski.
Trained as an electrical engineer in Denver, CO by the United States Air Force, Skip served our country (from 1964-1968) while stationed in “the middle of nowhere”, Turkey and then the bustling city of Bangkok, Thailand, performing work that has since been declassified: nuclear weapons detection. He supported his family working at Raytheon, Sanders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and AT&T Bell Laboratories which became Lucent Technologies. His technological impacts include contributions to semiconductor design and development as well as linking countless miles of fiber optic cables across the U.S. that connect us to each other and to the world via the internet.
Skip was a self-trained, yet expert woodworker, carpenter, builder, and remodeler; he leaves behind many clocks, including 25 that were crafted from a single piece of cherry wood, countless pieces of beautiful hardwood furniture, cedar-lined hope chests, children’s Adirondack chairs, a restored barn, the Independence Rowing Club row house in Nashua – which he helped design and build, and his home that he maintained impeccably for 50 years.
Skip was also a self-trained auto mechanic and he once rebuilt a 1928 Ford Model A, part by part. Skip was also an amazing cook and he leaves behind countless memories of delicious weeknight dinners.
Anyone who had the pleasure to know him, also knows Skip was a devoted husband, father, grandparent, friend and neighbor.
Unfortunately, Skip’s retirement was cut short, by a devastating cancer diagnosis. Fighting for his life became his full-time job. However, Skip did not fight alone and he was grateful for the legion of doctors, nurses, and hospital employees who helped him get the most of out the life that he lived for an additional two and a half years. He was thankful for those at St. Joseph Hospital Cancer Center, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, NH Natural Health Clinic, and Home Health & Hospice Care. Skip was the kind of patient who reminded them all of why they chose to devote their careers and lives to helping others.
Skip spent his final days in his home, being cared for by his family. He was visited by a stream of family, friends, and neighbors, and received many phone calls and messages from his large community of friends whose lives he touched. Skip maintained his humble nature and great sense of humor until his final hours.
Skip is survived by a large family who will miss him dearly; his wife Gail (Cadrain) Ryan of Milford, NH; his sons Daniel Ryan of Nashua, NH, Peter Ryan of Evergreen, CO; his daughter Dr. Jennifer Ryan and her husband Milan Cole of Portland, OR; his stepchildren Michelle Bonner of West Hartford, CT, Mark Bonner and his wife Kaitlin of Rowley, MA, Meegan Wyatt and her husband Jason of Naples, FL; his brothers Louis Ryan and his wife Theresa of White River Junction, VT, Robert Ryan of Bristol, VT; his sister Vivian Wells and her husband Bill of Johannesburg, CA; his grandchildren Callahan, Ella, Matthew, Lilyana, Ryder, and Kaia; and his nephew Matthew Ryan.
Family and friends are warmly welcomed to attend a visitation for Skip at the Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple St. Wilton, NH on Friday November 5, 2021 at 12 pm followed by a service at 1 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made in Skip’s memory to Home Health and Hospice Care, 7 Executive Park Drive Merrimack, NH 03054.
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