Claudette M. Ryan

Claudette M. Ryan, 77, of Middletown, went joyfully into the arms of Our Lord at home surrounded by her loving family.
Born in Fall River, Mass., on Nov. 22, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Edmour Cormier and Marie (Pelletier) Cormier. She was married for 51 years to the late Richard J. Ryan.
Claudette was a loving "stay at home" mom to four children, and as her children grew older, she worked briefly for Richard Long, architect, and Dr. Brian Cornell, podiatrist, as an office assistant. She also worked as a fellow barber in Dick Ryan's Barber Shop.
Claudette attended Mount St. Marys' Catholic school in Fall River, Mass., where she learned to play the piano and entertained us well for many years. She was a communicant and extra ordinary minister of Holy Communion at St. Lucy's Catholic Faith Community. She and her husband enjoyed years of ballroom and square dancing, and bowling. The family took numerous timeshare vacations in North Conway, N.H., and on the Cape. She bids a joyful farewell to her wonderful friends Mary Settle and Ed Meyer, as well as all her friends in the "Knitting Group" and the Senior Center Choir of Middletown.
She is survived by her three daughters and one son; Kathleen Ryan, of Middletown; Linda Ekstrom and her husband, Robert, and their children, Brittany, Robert, Taylor and Nicholas, of Tiverton, Mass.; Susan Stepalavich and her husband, Martin, of Danielson, Conn., and their children, Ryan and his wife Alexandra, and their baby, Mary Elizabeth, of Plainfield, Conn.; and Marty and Jack Stepalavich, of Danielson, Conn.; and Kevin Ryan and his wife, Cynthia, and their children, Katheryne, Elizabeth and Noah, of Westerly. She is also survived by her brother, Roger Cormier, of Fall River, Mass.
She was the sister of the late Rita Cantin and the late Claire Ruest.
Calling hours will be held today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.
Her funeral will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2013, at 8 a.m., from the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 9 a.m. in St. Lucy's Church, 909 East Main Road, Middletown. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery, 465 Brown's Lane, Middletown, RI 02842.
Memorial donations may be made to Lucy's Hearth, 913 West Main Road, Middletown, RI 02842.
Additional information available at www.memorialfuneralhome.com.