Ryan Leland Bandy

Ryan Leland Bandy, 51, unexpectedly passed away on August 19th in Columbia, S.C.

A memorial service honoring his memory will be Friday, August 30 at 1p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion St. in Columbia. Dr. Neil C. Stewart will conduct the Celebration of Life service.

Ryan was born in Washington, D.C. to Leland ("Lee") and Mary Bandy on March 25, 1973. Ryan spent his formative years growing up in Rockville, MD, a suburb of Washington, D.C. He was an outstanding competitive swimmer from an early age through his years competing in high school, where he established himself as one of the top swimmers in the state. It was also there, in Rockville, where Ryan established a lifelong affinity for his beloved Washington Redskins football team. It was a love affair that never wavered throughout his life.

During this time in Rockville, Ryan's father, Lee, covered politics as the chief Washington correspondent for South Carolina's largest newspaper, The State, in Columbia. Ryan's most vivid and cherished memories were the times he "tagged along" with his father to the U.S. Capitol when Congress was in session and Lee was chasing the most important political stories of the day. As one of the most prominent reporters in American politics, Lee always remained a "larger than life" figure to Ryan.

In 1992, the family moved to Columbia where Ryan graduated with an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree from Midlands Technical College. In addition to his studies, Ryan also began working in Columbia's thriving hospitality industry - public-facing jobs where his quick wit and exuberant personality helped him succeed in work in addition to establishing lifelong friendships. Ryan also supplemented his income by sharing one of his deepest, enduring passions: music. He worked as a private guitar instructor at Pecknel's Music store in Columbia's Five Points area. Ryan was a natural teacher who was always upbeat and positive with his students. Those lessons were "a labor of love." Because while he was a successful teacher and mentor, Ryan also possessed an almost supernatural talent to play the guitar. He had an uncanny ability to hear a song and replay the guitar riffs instantly. Such was his gift that professional performers in Columbia's thriving music scene believed Ryan was one of the top guitar players in a town full of successful musicians. During those days, if there was an impromptu "jam session" happening around campus, chances were good that Ryan was there, ready to rip. Ryan loved live music shows and would often come home from a concert and recreate the songs he had just heard performed.

Always up for adventure, Ryan left Columbia in 1999 and moved to Chicago where he worked in the competitive graphic arts industry. Living and working "inside the Loop" of the Windy City was a dynamic time for Ryan. He loved the energy of the nation's third-largest city, and the opportunities living there provided for cultural enrichment.

In the early 2000s, Ryan migrated back home to South Carolina to be closer to his family and many friends. Using the skills he acquired in the hospitality industry in Columbia, Ryan made his way to Charleston which was then gaining status as one of the country's premier culinary destinations. His most memorable job was located on Kiawah Island at The Sanctuary, recognized as one of the top luxury resorts on the East Coast. He succeeded in the high-pressure atmosphere, relying on his ability to relate to people of all backgrounds. Ryan was extremely well read, quick on his feet with insightful thought, and he enjoyed deep and meaningful conversations about politics and sports. Ryan loved the Lowcountry lifestyle, living next to the beach where he could swim and surf and where the dress code was always casual.

Ryan left Charleston and moved back to Columbia in what proved to be a fortuitous decision. Ryan's father became stricken with Parkinson's disease, and its slow but steady progression required a great deal of oversight and attention. While his mother, Mary, oversaw care for her husband, Ryan moved in with his parents to help them both through that challenging time.

Ryan is preceded in death by his father, Lee Bandy, who passed away in 2013 after a long and courageous struggle with that heartbreaking disease.

Ryan is survived by his mother, Mary Dygert Bandy; his sister, Alexa Suzanne Bandy Monte and her husband, LTC Jeffrey John Monte, and their three children, Sophia Ann, Nathaniel Leland, and Alexander Jose "AJ" of Berlin, Germany; and brother Michael Lee Bandy and his wife Elizabeth and their two children, Cadence, and Paul, of Sterling, Va. Ryan adored his nieces and nephews. In return, the children loved their time visiting Columbia because Uncle Ryan was always there to provide good times and constant entertainment. Even in his later years, Ryan was still a "big kid at heart," and young people naturally flocked to his fun-loving demeanor and easy-going spirit.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the largest non-profit in the world dedicated solely to eradicating the debilitating disease:

https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate