Ryan was born in Midland on June 3, 1984, the son of Danny and Leanne Wilson. He graduated from Hamilton High School in 2003, where he enjoyed playing baseball and football. He went on to earn his Criminal Justice degree from Sam Houston State University in 2009.
While living in College Station, Ryan’s magnetic personality had a way of drawing people together. He made everybody laugh and love, from game nights to purposely arguing about something just because he liked to. Because he was such a deep thinker, the family always said he should have been a lawyer or philosopher. In college, Ryan often talked about how much he could not wait to meet his wife, and he prayed for that future wife often. Eventually, the Lord brought him Leah, and love-struck does not even begin to describe it. That season was rather amusing to the family because she was the only thing he wanted to talk about. Ryan and Leah were united in marriage on October 22, 2010.
He and Leah have one son, Luke, 4. Ryan was not just a father, he was a daddy. He loved his little boy as much as anyone can love a child. Luke would go with Ryan just about everywhere, and he was always teaching his son how to be a Godly man.
To know Ryan was to love him. His fun, adventurous spirit was infectious and drew people to him continuously. He was the fun uncle and loved each of his many nieces and nephews as if they were his own. As a friend, there was none better. He was always there when you needed a good laugh, and yet was always up for the next mission.
While Ryan loved everyone so well here on earth, his love for his Heavenly Father was greater still. His deep faith and walk with the Lord were strong and true. Ryan wanted everyone to not just know about Jesus, but to know Him as their Lord and Savior. We mourn his loss, but we grieve with hope knowing that as followers of Christ we will be reunited with him again someday.
Ryan was preceded in death by his father-in-law Dean Hlad, paternal grandfather, Sid Wilson, paternal grandmother, Lola Sayers, maternal grandfather, Joe Mabee, and maternal grandmother, Billie Hightower.
Ryan is survived his wife Leah and son Luke; parents Danny and Leanne Wilson of Hamilton, TX; his sister Amy Keller and husband Jason and their children Ashlynn and Kylie of Colleyville, TX; brother Brandon and wife Jamie and their child Billie Rose of Peaster, TX; sister Christin Jones and husband West and their children Sophia, Elaina, Clara, Naomi, Phoebe, Vivian, and Beatrix of Hico, TX; brother Garrett and wife Tara and their children Everett, Archer, Noelle, and Oliver of College Station, TX. Ryan is also survived by mother-in-law Dawn Henry and husband Don of Edmond, OK; sister-in-law Laura Dunwoody and husband Jason and their children Sawyer and Emmalyn of Guthrie, OK; brother-in-law Landon Hlad and wife Addy Kate and their child Mary Louise of Oklahoma City, OK; and brother-in-law Lane Hlad and wife Sarah of Edmond, OK.
