Michael Ryan

PEORIA - Michael B. Ryan, 73, of Peoria, Ill., passed away at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, 2010, at OSF St. Clare Home.

He was born Aug. 20, 1936, in Chicago to Walter J. and Mary Beecher Ryan. He married Maria Chantal Wiesman on June 1, 1963, in Buffalo, N.Y. She survives.

Also surviving are two daughters, Mary (Jeffery) Bolton and Catherine Cameron, both of Peoria; and one son, Matthew (Laura) of Portland, Ore. He also has six grandchildren, Jasmine and Jared Cameron, Jacob, Jessica and Charles Bolton, and Sebastian Ryan; one brother, Thomas (Renee) of Middletown, Conn.; one brother-in-law, Hugh Wiesman (Michaelene) of Chambersburg, Pa.; one niece; and three nephews.

Michael served as regional attorney for the National Labor Relations Board Peoria Region from 1974 until his retirement in 1991. He was a trial attorney in this region, serving downstate Illinois and eastern Iowa from 1966-1974, and served as chairman of the NLRB Regional Attorneys Guild from 1982-1988. From 1968-1971, he served as president of the NLRB Union representing all agency non-supervisory employees in the United States. After his retirement, he served as an independent arbitrator of labor disputes.

He was a member of the Peoria City Planning Commission from 1977-1989, serving as elected chairman of that body from 1979-1989. Mike was also a member of the Tri-County Land Use Advisory Committee. He chaired many annexation hearings, and also served on several ad-hoc city commissions to which he was appointed by mayors Carver, Neumiller and Maloof. Prior to his appointment to the Planning Commission, he had been founder and president of the North Sterling Homeowners Association.

Mike was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, where he served as a member and officer on the Parish Council and Parish School Board, and was a lector and Eucharistic minister. He also served as a parish delegate to the Diocesan Synod.

For many years he served as an officer and director of the Peoria Notre Dame Club, and served twice as a member of the University of Notre Dame Alumni Senate. He was named Notre Dame Man of the Year in 1980. He received a B.S. in labor relations from Manhattan College in 1957, and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1964. He was a member of the editorial board of the Law Review and a moot court champion at Notre Dame.

He was a White House intern in the summer of 1963. He has been included in "Who's Who in America" since 1968.

He served in the United States Army from 1958-1961, including 14 months in the Korean Theater, where he was an artillery forward observer.

He was president of the Catholic Interracial Council of Peoria, and a member of the Knights of Columbus Spalding Council 427. He was very active in several Heart of Illinois United Way campaigns, chairing the Combined Federal Campaign portion of that fundraising drive, and serving on its coordinating committee.

After retirement, Michael and Maria spent several winters in their condominium in Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii. They also took trips to Europe, most notably Ireland and Italy, and cruises to Alaska and Central America.

Mike wrote, "I love all my children, grandchildren, and of course my wife, Maria, my brother, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nephews and niece, as well as my many friends. I also love my God, my church, my country, Peoria and Kauai. I love Notre Dame, and the Notre Dame family. I really enjoyed working for the NLRB, which did good work with good people. I was proud to be a civil servant. My life was well spent, good, and I look forward to heaven for eternity."

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday, April 9, 2010, at Holy Family Catholic Church, with Franciscan Friars officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wright & Salmon Mortuary, with a scripture service at 7:45 p.m. Further visitation will be 30 minutes before the services at the church on Friday. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, to the University of Notre Dame Law School or Holy Family Catholic Church.

Tributes and condolences may be submitted to www.wrightandsalmon.com.