Christine Ryan

Christine (née Michael) Ryan of North East 27th Terrace in Lighthouse Point passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 29th in her home after a three-year battle, holding her husband’s hand and surrounded by her loving family. Christine was born on November 24th, 1943 in Montreal, Canada and raised by Laurent and Jeanne Trudeau. She met Joseph Ryan at the age of five in 1948 and married him fifteen years later on August 24, 1963. Christine completed her high school diploma, Associate’s Degree and court stenographer’s certification at Broward Community College while raising five children in the 1980’s. Along with her husband, she founded the Friends of Children of Vietnam (FCVN), making two long trips to Southeast Asia helping find families and homes in the United States, Europe and Australia for hundreds of Vietnamese orphans between 1971 and 1975. Additional charitable works involved FreshAir Children and hosting children with medical needs from other countries. During the 1980’s, Christine worked in the medical administration field in Coral Springs and in the mid-1990’s, began a medical billing business. In her free time, Christine enjoyed spending time with her three dogs—she loved animals her entire life—as well as outings at the Lighthouse Point Yacht Club, many types of home improvement (no house she ever lived in with her husband was ever actually “finished”). Before illness slowed her down, she also enjoyed speed walking and coffee dates with Joe and over the years also bowled and played tennis. She is survived by the husband she knew and loved for 65 years; sons Michael, Richard; son-in-laws Todd and Brian; daughters Lisa, Kim-Christine, Noelle; Daughters-in-law, Shirlie and Veronica; grandchildren Conor, Molly, Ryan, Taylor, C.J., Mikayla, Waverly, Devin, Larissa, Ivan and Rebecca; sisters Connie, Elizabeth, Deborah, Christiane, Jeanine and Louise; brothers, Roger (deceased), Claude, Yvon and Serge; nephews Louis, Jason, Jordan and Christopher; nieces Joanna and Chantal; and great-grandson Landon. Services will be held on July 3rd at Noon at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Lighthouse Point. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Christine’s name to “Christmas in July” (http://www.christmasinjulyinc.com).

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