William J. Ryan

William J. Ryan, age 87 of Palm Coast, Fla., passed away Saturday, April 24, 2010. He was born May 29, 1922 in Provi-dence, R.I. to George and Madeline Ryan. He graduated from Man-hattan College with a Bachelors Degree in History and earned Masters Degrees in both Education and Administration from Fairfield University. Mr. Ryan served in the Army Air Corps during World War II in the China-Burma-India theater. An accomplished athlete, he taught and coached basketball and track at LaSalle Academy in Providence. He continued his career in education at Danbury High School, first as English teacher ultimately retiring as principal. Mr. Ryan guided Danbury High School through many turbulent years of societal change. Revered by many as an outstanding educator, he is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jean Carney Ryan; two sons, Michael Ryan and Mark Ryan; three daughters, Jean Tepas (Joseph), M. Virginia Ryan (William Storey), and Sheila DeBold (Kenge); five grandchildren; six great-grand-children. A man of great integrity and faith who loved his family, the play of words, and his Irish heritage, Mr. Ryan lives on in the hearts of his family and friends. Donations may be made in his honor to the Danbury High School Memorial Scholarship Fund.