Shirley A Ryan

Shirley A. Ryan, 84, of Tampa, FL died peacefully in her sleep on May 17, 2016. She was born in Woburn, MA the daughter of Frederick Masse’ and Mildred (Grimes) Masse’. She was the second of five children. She is survived by brothers Francis and David. Both her parents, her brother Fred Jr. and sister Myrna predeceased her. In her early years, she attended a one room schoolhouse. She graduated from Woburn High where she was a class officer and played basketball and softball. She was offered an art scholarship to McGill University which she turned down to attend Northeastern University. While there, she became the first woman to be an officer of the Key Club. Her co-op with the university brought her to Massachusetts General Hospital where she worked in the dietetic department. It was at the time she was working as a medical secretary for Dr. Perry J. Culver, of Massachusetts General Hospital, that she met Philip J. Ryan of Springfield, MA at a Valentine’s Day Dance. They were married on November 22, 1958. She and her husband lived in Springfield and raised their family. She became active in Holy Name School and Parish, where she volunteered in the school lunchroom and library, taught arts and crafts to the students to be sold at the Christmas Bazaar, produced a parish newspaper, and served as President of the Parish Council. With the family, she skied in the winter and spent summers at Lake Paradise where she became President of the Lake Association. She went back to school and took business courses at The College of Our Lady of the Elms. In 1993, she co-chaired the Mass Citizens for Life Pro-Life Dinner with her husband. Shirley had many talents that she shared with others. They included sewing, knitting, embroidery, decorating, painting, gardening and playing piano. She was a cub scout den mother and softball coach. She was a wonderful wife, a terrific mom, and a loving grandmother. She and her husband retired to St. Petersburg, Florida where she enjoyed tennis, golf, bridge, theatre, and Tampa Bay Rays games with their friends. She was active in Blessed Trinity Parish where she was a Eucharistic Minister and reorganized the Parish library. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Philip J. Ryan of Tampa, FL, her daughters Jean (Gary) Tebbetts of New York, Charlene (Jack) Valkenburg of Pennsylvania, Rosemary Ryan of Florida, and Patricia (Jeff) Reardon of Rhode Island. She had six grandchildren, Charles and Emily Grace Tebbetts, Andrew and Neil Valkenburg, and Erin and Sean Reardon. Her son, Capt. Joseph Ryan died in 2014. Her family wishes to thank all of those individuals who so lovingly cared for her in the last years of her life. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 from 9:30-10:30am at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Tampa. The Mass of Christion Burial will follow at 10:30am and burial will be held at 2:00pm at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Clearwater. Memorial contributions may be made to Mary’s Outreach for Women, 4144 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33711.