Dennis Ryan

Dennis James Ryan, beloved husband and brother, age 69, of Roswell, New Mexico, (formerly of Tuscola, IL) passed away on January 17, 2022. He was born December 21, 1952 in Urbana, Illinois, the son of James and Mary Kay Ryan. He married Michele Mazzella on January 26, 1980 in Virginia Beach, VA. His parents and a brother preceded him in death.

He is survived by his wife, Michele Ryan of Roswell, New Mexico; sisters, Ruthann Whobrey (Dan) of Savoy and Mary Jo Dunn (Dwight) of Tuscola. He also had nephews and nieces: Jason, Adam, Emily, Eric, Corey, Mikayla, Julia, Liam, Elias and Rainier.

Dennis graduated from Tuscola High School in 1971 and maintained a strong bond with many of his classmates over the years. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1974, retiring in 1998 after 24 years of service as a submariner. While in the Navy, he continued his love of sports, playing on various softball teams and earning several awards. He then worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Bremerton, Washington and Roswell, NM until retiring in 2021.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation or the SPCA.

A memorial service in Tuscola is planned for this summer.