Robert Gerald (Bob) Ryan

May 23, 1939 – November 17, 2019

Bob (Dad) was born in Quebec City on May 23, 1939. He grew up there, where he excelled in academics, played varsity football, ran track & field and was an officer in the #208 Cadet Corps. He attended Queens University, graduating in 1961 with a BSc in Chemical Engineering. After a brief stint at Alcan in Arvida, he moved back to Quebec City to start his career in pulp and paper with Anglo-Canadian Pulp & Paper Mills, then owned by Reed Paper Limited.

In 1962, he married Mum (Patricia Whyte) and the two began their family/career adventure of five kids and successive promotions with Reed Paper in four cities across the country, including Quebec City, Dryden, Prince George and Toronto.

In 1978, Dad left Reed to work with Weyerhaeuser Canada Ltd. in Kamloops, BC where he spent 22 years; the last 13 as Mill Manager and Vice-President. Dad always maintained that if you choose to work in pulp and paper, there is no better place than Kamloops. He was active in the community, serving on the Royal Inland Hospital board, United Way cabinet, Sacred Heart Parish Council and the Friends of the University in the quest to make the now-Thompson Rivers University a fully-independent institution.

After retiring in 2000, Dad and Mum remained in Kamloops, where Dad indulged his passions for handy-manning and general puttering, old cars, planes, reading, watching the Blazers (live), football (on TV) and travelling. They travelled extensively, particularly enjoying cruising with family and friends. After full life and a short battle with cancer, Bob Ryan left us on Sunday to take his final journey.

Dad was predeceased by his parents William and Marguerite (Mill) Ryan, his brother Bill and his sister Joan. He will be deeply missed by Pat Ryan, his beloved wife of 57 years and his children: Tony (Vicci), Helen (Allan Heel), Carolynn (Kehl Petersen), Pam (Bill Robitaille) and Colleen (Mark Willms). Missing their Grandpa Bob are his eight grand-children: Carling, Erin (Mitchell Burton), Caitlin, Trew, Naomi, Nicholas, Alice and Nathan. Also mourning his passing are his surviving siblings: David, Peter (Carol), Louise (Paolo) and Marie (Ralph), close cousin Marian (Ed), our treasured friend Nicholas Cooney (Melaine), numerous nieces, nephews, co-workers and friends and the friends of his kids who had the good fortune to be taken under his wing.

The Ryan Family extends special thanks to Dr. J.F. Malan, Dr. A. Gabriel and the many angels working at Kamloops Hospice House. You have all helped him and us through this difficult time, as Dad "…slipped the surly bonds of earth...".

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests donating to Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice Home or the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation. More importantly, we invite you take a pause from your busy lives and spend some quality time with your family.

Prayers for Bob will be said at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 7:00 pm on Friday, November 22, 2019. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral 11:00 am on Saturday, November 23, 2019. All who will miss Bob are welcome to attend.

In the end, there are only two things that parents can give their children – roots and wings. Thank you Dad for both and Godspeed.

On behalf of the Ryan Family, Pat, Tony, Helen, Carolynn, Pam and Colleen

Online condolences may be expressed at
www.schoeningfuneralservice.com