Thomas William Ryan

Feb. 3, 1970 - Dec. 8, 2006

A memorial service for Thomas William Ryan, 36, of Portland, will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at St. Agatha's Catholic Church, 1430 S.E. Nehalem, in Portland.

Thomas was born Feb. 3, 1970, in Long Beach, Calif., to William and Sharon Ryan. He died Dec. 8, 2006, after a battle with cancer.

He moved with his family to Coos Bay in 1974. He attended Marshfield High School until 1987, when he moved to St. Petersburg, Fla. Tom graduated from Northeast High School in St. Petersburg in 1988. He worked for many years for Blosser Painting. While attending nursing school and working as a nurse's aide in an emergency room, he met Christine Murphy. They were married in St. Petersburg in 2000. After they proudly completed the restoration of a historic home in St. Petersburg, their beloved daughter, Emma Marie Ryan, was born on Feb. 12, 2004.

The Ryan family moved to Portland in 2004, into another historic home in the Sellwood neighborhood. Tom enjoyed carpentry, cars, hiking and spending time with friends and family. Tom was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 and fought hard to be healthy again. He was very positive and inspiring to his friends and family.

He was truly loved by his family and will be missed tremendously.

Tom is survived by wife, Christine Murphy Ryan and 2-year-old daughter, Emma Ryan, of Portland; mother, Sharon Ryan of St. Petersburg; brother, Justin Ryan of St. Petersburg; sisters, Susan Ryan of San Francisco and Kelly Dixon of Eugene; grandfather, Frank Sullivan of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, William Thomas Ryan, 1986 in Coos Bay.

The family suggests memorial contributions to St. Agatha's Catholic Church, 1430 S.E. Nehalem, Portland, OR 97202; or to the American Cancer Society, Coos County Unit, 31 W. Sixth St., Medford, OR 97501.

Sign the guestbook at http://www.theworldlink.com.