Ryan O'Neal Walker

Ryan O’Neal Walker was born January 23, 1966 in Piqua, Ohio to Melvin and Terresita Walker. Ryan was cherished as the first grandchild and only child. As a boy, Ryan was full of energy and enjoyed playing sports. He played baseball, football, basketball and ran cross country. To this day, Ryan still holds the free throw record at Piqua High School in Piqua, Ohio ( at least as far as we know).

Ryan was enjoyed by his mother, grandmother and aunts growing up as a little boy. He brought immense joy to all those who loved and knew him. In fact, Ryan was named by his Aunt Jeannie and born on his Aunt Debbie’s birthday. Remember the show Payton Place from the 1960’s? Well Ryan’s Aunt Jeannie liked the actor Ryan O’Neal and she share it with Ryan’s mom and she liked the name because it was hard to shorten and nickname, so thus Ryan O’Neal Walker emerged.

One of Ryan’s favorite foods was chocolate chip cookies. Not just any chocolate chip cookie would do, they had to be his mom’s chocolate chip cookies. One of Ryan’s favorite memories was when he would walk in the door from walking home from school and his mother would have fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies, baked from scratch, piping hot and ooey gooey ( you the way we all truly like it) coupled with a fresh glass chilled form the freezer and filled with ice cold milk waiting at the table for him. He spoke of that many times and no one could even dare duplicate that experience for him that he shared with his mother.

Another one of Ryan’s favorite memories was when his Mother shoveled the driveway after one of the more common Ohio winter storms that would drop anywhere from 2-10 inches of snow with temperatures of 2 below wind chill factor to just below freezing to make room for Ryan to practice his free throw shooting. She would rebound for him as Ryan practiced and perfected his craft. Ryan was so disciplined, he would do 100 shots at the YMCA until he made 98-100% of them on a consistent basis. She also would ride FLASH, ( the name Ryan gave his 10-speed bike) along the levy bank in Piqua, Ohio when Ryan trained for running cross country.

Ryan’s family travelled to every sporting event he ever had and all he had to do was listen to the (copyrighted) Price calling of “Whoo ooo hooo” in a high pitched tone and he knew his family was there to support him.

Ryan was a drummer and played in the concert band in Jr. High and in the show choir in High School. He loved music and would spend many a days listening to Peter Frampton Coming Alive album, many Kiss Albums, and other music ranging from Classical to George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. In fact, before every basketball game, Ryan had to play the Kiss album and listen to Gene Simmons. He would ask his mom if he could turn it up loud, so he could prepare and get his head in the game. His mother would say “yes”, and proceed to the front porch.

Ryan had a ritual every time he went to the free throw line and it went as follows:

He stepped away from the free throw line, he then leaned down and touched his socks, he stepped back to the free throw line, he bounced the ball three times, then he shot the free throw…”swoosh” in the basket.

Ryan attended Central State University immediately after high school through their upward bound program. He played basketball at Central State and then later enlisted in the US Navy.

Ryan was in the Navy 8 years and travelled to every continent on planet Earth. While in the Navy, Ryan found his passion for computers and spent many hours on the aircraft carrier studying and learning programming and coding. Ryan received an accommodation from the Commander of Carrier Air Wing Six , A. F. Richardson, Captain, United States Navy for his professional achievement and superior performance of his duties while serving as Operation Yeoman for Fighter Squadron Thirty One on the USS FORRESTAl. Ryan developed an innovative and streamlines cataloging system for the squadron’s computer programs and projects, reducing workload for the entire Operations Department.

Ryan was married to Nikki Montague and they had four children, Ryan II age 21, Elise Nicole age 20, Catherine Aliani age 16 and Myles Pierce age 12. Ryan and Nikki met in the 6th grade at Nicklin Avenue Elementary school. They travelled on to Wilder Jr. High school where Ryan played basketball and Nikki was a cheerleader. They hung out with the same click of friends and Ryan developed a crush on Nikki. There were countless discussions in the lunch line where Ryan often would ( just being a boy) bagger and get under Nikki’s skin. Who knew all along he secretly liked her and she secretly liked him too. The entire school knew that Ryan had a crush on Nikki and everyone was pushing them together. Nikki’s family moved away to Defiance, Ohio when they were both in the 9th grade. Nikki would travel back to Piqua to visit her grandparents and old friends she left, but lost contact with Ryan during the remaining High School and College years.

Ryan went off to Central State University and the Navy and Nikki went off to Adrian College. Almost 10 years had passed when they were reunited when Nikki’s brother Scott passed away. Ryan was in the Navy and over in the Mediterranean Sea when he found out. He coaxed his mother into getting Nikki’s address from her grandmother and wrote a heartfelt letter sending his condoles. Over the next several months, countless letters arrived back and forth and Ryan and Nikki’s love grew for each other and they were married later that year in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Ryan was a doting husband and father. He homeschooled all four of the children while working to build his business Row Productions. Over the years, the family lived in Virginia Beach, Va, Philadelphia, PA, Chesapeake, Va., Tacoma, Wa, Bothell, Wa and now Woodinville, Wa. The children were blessed to have spent countless hours day and night with Ryan. He was available 24/7 for them and spent many of hours mentoring and having open discussions or “life lessons” as Ryan would call them. There were many a days when Ryan would be in his office writing code for one of his programs and then the next minute changing a diaper for one of the children or helping the kids with their homework. The memories the children have of Ryan are priceless and have shaped them into the mature, responsible, loving, caring, disciplined and beautiful children that they are today. They are truly a reflection and great representation of their father Ryan O’Neal Walker.

Ryan had a relationship with his special dad Jerry Bailey. Ryan could always call on his “Dad” and he saw that Ryan and family had whatever they needed. They had numerous three hour conversations and spoke about many things that helped shaped Ryan into the great father and husband he became. He loved Jerry Bailey very much and knew that Jerry was instrumental in shaping him into the fine young man he was. Ryan found comfort in knowing that Jerry Bailey loved his mother and his entire family.

Ryan had many passions and research, history, sports, talk radio, politics, religion, computer science were among his many pleasures. Ryan was intense in everything he did and often pushed others to step-up to the plate to take chances, go out on a limb and stand for something. Ryan created several websites, RowsRealNews.com, RowsRealSports.com, RowsRealPolitics.com and RowsRealTechnology.com . He had a lot to say and was somewhat of an information broker and created the sites as a platform to share knowledge with others. Ryan spent the last 7+ years on the third Thursday of every month volunteering at Operation Nightwatch, a non-profit organization that serves and feeds the working homeless in Seattle, Wa. Ryan and his family volunteered to help prepare and serve a meal. Ryan passed out the coveted Dick’s hamburgers that would arrive and engaged and interacted with those whom he served.

Ryan was loved and cherished and will be missed by his wife, children, mother, “Dad” Jerry Bailey, Aunt Jeannie, Aunt Debbie, his cousins Jeff Olden, Jesse “Heath” Olden, Britton Price, and other family and friends. He was a one of a kind and left his mark and presence on all who came in contact with him.

Ryan was a believer and we are pleased to know that he has made the journey home to see Jesus.