Marilyn Margaret Ryan

Marilyn Margaret Ryan was a practical woman, living for her family and her hobbies. She was trustworthy and traditional in her approach to her life and in her relationships. She was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew her. Realistic about life, she was always at the ready, prepared to give her best possible advice and opinion.

       Marilyn was born in the Plummer Hospital, Sault Ste.Marie, Ontario in November, 1932. Her parents were Frederick William Miller and Myrtle Isabel Evans who also were brought up in the Algoma District. Marilyn was raised in the Sault and lived there for her whole life. She was brought up to be self-sufficient and dependable being the eldest of the Miller girls. These were traits that would serve her well throughout her life.

      Growing up in the Miller household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Marilyn was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared.

Marilyn was raised with three sisters. She had one older sister Doris Joan (lived four days) and two younger sisters, Sandra Mildred and Freda Diane. Marilyn was constantly involved in activities with her sisters led by their parents. Church was very important to the whole family and all participated. The Miller and Evans clans were active members of the church.

      As a young child, Marilyn was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. She wasn’t pushy and never forced her way into games or other activities. Marilyn developed a variety of interests, though, and the things she enjoyed doing she did well. She was always curious about the world around her and was often eager to explore it. Marilyn took part in skating. In her spare time she liked playing violin. Marilyn's memorable achievements included reading prior to starting school. However, what Marilyn enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with her many friends.

      Always considered to be a solid friend, Marilyn was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during her life. Since she disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw her own conclusions based on direct observation, Marilyn was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew her. She was committed to her friends and valued the trust she placed in them. It was not uncommon for Marilyn to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought her out for advice because she had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. Barbara Walls was her best friend who maintained a friendship with Marilyn even after they were both married. Marilyn even flew up in a Beaver to go see Barbara and her family in Wawa. Later in life, she became friends with Barry and Dianne Armstrong, Paul and Diane Young, Shirley and Jerry Rickard.

Joe relates that he first met Marilyn at the outdoor skating rink on Walnut Street. Marilyn was best friends with Barbara Walls who Joe knew through another family member. He was impressed with her intelligence, beauty, and skating ability. That was the beginning of a long lasting relationship.

      On October 18, 1952 Marilyn exchanged wedding vows with Joseph Eugene Ryan at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Gloucester St. in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Compassionate and devoted to Joe, Marilyn held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. She took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it her total commitment. She was a source of strength to Joe and using her gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, she worked hard to make her new family happy.

      Marilyn brought the same traditional values in her marriage to bear on how she raised her children. She was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in her dealings. Marilyn was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. She was the chauffeur, cook and taskmaster. Marilyn was blessed with two children, one daughter, Anna Lee and one son, Fredrick Norman. They were also blessed with three grandchildren, Meghan, Andrew, and Jordan. Melissa, Jordan's wife, joined the family in 2016.

College life brought with it a new set of challenges as she was in her fifties, but Marilyn handled them well. Being a critical thinker who always remained intellectually independent, Marilyn was able to focus on the task at hand in order to complete her class work. She seemed to thrive on college reading assignments, something that often bogged down her classmates. Marilyn was able to read the material and retain the information in a way that impressed her fellow classmates. The ability to efficiently complete the task at hand was a skill that served Marilyn well during her college experience. She earned her PSW in 1984 from Sault College.

      Marilyn greatly enjoyed what she did for a living. She was a hard worker who expected the same in return from her co-workers. She was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Marilyn enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Marilyn was excellent at meeting deadlines. She was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. Her primary occupation was homemaker. She was employed for Red Cross as a PSW for about 12 years. Marilyn worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      Marilyn liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into her hobbies, where she was very methodical in how she organized her activities and categorized things. Since she enjoyed her private time, Marilyn always tried to allocate a specific time for working on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were crocheting, sewing, pottery, Swedish weaving, quilting, boating, skiing, gardening, swimming, skating, and reading. Marilyn was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

      As a woman who always showed great commitment to the things she believed in, it’s little wonder that Marilyn was so active in her community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Marilyn preferred to base her decisions on first-hand experiences. Marilyn was never afraid to roll up her sleeves and dig right in. Marilyn was a member of several community groups, including worked on Christmas cheer.

      Marilyn enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since she was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Marilyn appeared effortless. She enjoyed researching all of her examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Plus, no matter where she traveled, Marilyn always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favorite vacations included wintering in northern Florida around Fort Walton.

      Marilyn was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Holly, the sheltie was the only family pet. They were best friends for 12 years.

      Marilyn Margaret Ryan passed away on February 1, 2019 at the Sault Area Hospital of chronic heart disease. She is survived by her husband Joe of sixty-six years; her daughter and son-in-law, Anna Lee and Grant; her sister Sandra Giddings; her grandchildren, Andrew, Jordan and his wife Melissa; nephews Steven and Terry Giddings. Services were held at the chapel at the Arthur's Funeral Home. Marilyn was cremated and brought home.

      Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Marilyn Margaret Ryan. She was committed to living the life of a good woman who was both practical and trustworthy. She was committed to the traditional values that she upheld her entire life. She committed herself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around her. Most of all, she was committed to those she knew and loved.

If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together there is something you must always remember… You are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.

But the most important thing is even if we are apart, I'll always be with you.

Winnie the Pooh

When tomorrow starts without me,

And I'm not there to see,

If the sun should rise and find your eyes

all filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldn't cry

The way you did today,

While thinking of the many things,

We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,

As much as I love you,

and each time that you think of me,

I know you'll miss me too.

I thought of all the yesterdays

The good ones and the bad,

I thought of all the love we shared,

and all the fun we had.

If I could re-live yesterday

Just even for a while,

I'd say good-bye and kiss you

And maybe see you smile.

So when tomorrow starts without me,

Don't think we're far apart,

For every time you think of me,

I'm right here, in your heart.

Author Unknown

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RYAN, Marilyn Margaret - Passed peacefully on February 1, 2019 at the Sault Area Hospital at the age of 86.

Born on November 4, 1932, the daughter of the late Fred and Isabel “Toots” Miller, she was a long-time resident of Sault Ste. Marie. She will be deeply longed for by her stalwart husband, Joe Ryan - being married for over sixty-six years. Daughter Anna Lee and son-in-law Grant Buck will miss her caring support, love, and telephone calls. Andrew, Jordan and Melissa Buck will miss their grandmother’s conversations and her concern over their welfare. Marilyn is predeceased by son Fred, sister Diane Bates and survived by her sister, Sandra Giddings and brother-in-law Hank Bates. In addition, Marilyn and Joe shared their lives with so many close-knit friends who stayed connected all their adult lives. Everyone’s support over the years has been immeasurable and much appreciated. Friends are invited to visit at Arthur’s Funeral Home- Barton & Kiteley Chapel (492 Wellington St E. – 705-759-2522) on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Funeral service in the chapel at 11:30 am. Mr. Gene Monin officiating. Memorial donation made (payable by cheque) to ARCH or Soup Kitchen would be appreciated by the family. Thank you to all the hospital staff and Dr. Fera who worked diligently to help Mom try to improve and made her last days comfortable. You are invaluable.