Thomas Joseph Ryan

Thomas Joseph Ryan August 21, 1937 – February 6, 2016 Tom passed peacefully in his home in Del Mar, California, after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Tom was the only child of William James and Antonetta “Dora” Ryan (nee Guerrera), who preceded him in death. He spent his childhood in Rhode Island, growing up with many close cousins in their Irish-Italian neighborhood. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Tom began a dynamic career as an industrial designer, working for such companies as Corning and NuTone before starting his own company, Ryan Design. Soon after graduating, Tom married (Roseanne) and they welcomed a daughter, Suzanne. With a life-long passion for the creative arts, Tom was actively involved in the theater community in both Terrace Park and Cincinnati, Ohio, acting and singing in many plays and musical productions. His acting talents lead to roles in local and national commercials, as well as a leading role in an “After School Special” and supporting roles in other television programs. Tom was also a set designer for Cincinnati Music Theatre, where he met his second wife and mother of two, Jill, who preceded him in death (May 2, 2015). They married and lived on Center Street in Mariemont, Ohio. After renovating their home, they moved to Del Mar, California (1985), where Tom had established a flourishing design business. His clients included; Kohler, Artistic Brass and California Creative Bath. His designs focused on household items such as; kitchen and bath hardware, doorbells, coffee makers, and other appliances, as well as fitness apparatus such as the Ab-Flex. He also designed the landscape elements for their beautiful Del Mar home. One day in 1992, when he was asked to design a tongue scraper, he looked at it, felt no passion at all for the job at hand and in that moment, decided to retire. He and Jill began traveling and enjoying the comforts of their lovely home. Ever the designer, Tom continued his work on their home and surrounding landscape, adding his unique artistic touch to his surroundings. Tom will be fondly remembered for his sense of humor and love of golf. An avid golfer, Tom played many of the worlds most famous courses and collected thousands of wood-shafted golf clubs over the years. He also had a strong interest in travel, art and real estate, making savvy investments and giving advice to his three daughters. He became a dog-lover when Jill brought home an adorable lhasa apso puppy she named Max. Rescue dogs Miles and Simon followed and Tom doted on each of them in turn. In his later years, Tom defied all odds as he faced one health challenge after another with strength and courage. His tenacity and passion for life enabled him to overcome the bleakest of circumstances time and time again. Although his body finally succumbed to disease, his spirit and zest for life never waivered. Tom is survived by his daughters; Suzanne Ryan of Oceanside, CA, Vanessa Hunter (Brad) of San Diego, CA and Philippa Wilkes (Patrick) of San Diego, CA, three granddaughters; Tiffany Hunter, Ashley Jeltz and Teagan Wilkes, along with many cousins and life-long friends. Services will be held at 12:00pm on Friday, February 12th at El Camino Memorial – Sorrento Valley Chapel, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, 92121.