Phil was born in Springfield, MA, to Charles V. Ryan II and M. Josephine (MacDonald) Ryan. He was the fifth of six children. He was raised in Forest Park where he attended Holy Name School, served as an altar boy and was a member of the Forest Park Aces baseball team. He graduated from Cathedral High School where he played soccer and participated in the Minstrel. He graduated from Holy Cross College with a degree in Economics and was a member of the Glee Club. He then earned a Jurist Doctorate from Boston College Law School and a Master’s Degree in Taxation from Boston University.
While attending BC Law, he met Shirley Masse at a Valentine’s Day dance. Before the night was over, he knew she would be his bride. They were married on November 22, 1958 and went on to raise five children. Phil practiced law for 50 years, much of that time at Ryan and White, P.C., in Springfield MA, where he was a founding partner along with his brother, Charlie, and Bill White. His career was one of distinction.
Phil was elected an Alderman for the City of Springfield. He was an active member of Holy Name Parish, taught CCD, was a member of the Men’s Club and the Rotary Club. He coached his son’s baseball team and timed many races at his children’s swim meets. In addition, he taught Taxation at Western New England Law School and he and Shirley co-chaired the Massachusetts Citizens for Life Pro-Life Dinner.
Phil enjoyed golf, tennis and skiing with family and friends and loved spending summers at Lake Paradise. He was an avid baseball fan. At the midpoint of his life, Phil took up flying as a private pilot and enjoyed making day trips in single engine planes.
Later in life, he and his wife moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and enjoyed an active social life with their friends. Phil passed the Florida Bar Exam and continued to practice law. He served as a Eucharistic Minister at his local parishes and he and Shirley spent many hours at Tamps Bay Rays games. His last eight years were spent in Tampa with his daughter Rosemary. She and many others cared for him in his final years. He was grateful to be surrounded by good people all his life. His family would like to thank his kind and compassionate caregivers for the exceptional care they gave him.
Phil was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Shirley; his son, Joseph and his brothers, Donald and Robert. Survivors include his daughters, Jean Marie (Gary) Tebbetts, Charlene (Jack) Valkenburg, Rosemary Ryan and Patricia (Jeff) Reardon; brother, Charles V. Ryan; sisters, Mary Flahive and Josephine (Paul) Sears; and grandchildren, Charles (Joy) Tebbetts, Emily Grace Tebbetts, Andrew and Neil Valkenburg; and Erin and Sean Reardon. Visitation will be held Thursday, August 16th, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Tampa. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m. and burial will be held at 4:00 p.m. at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Clearwater. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mary’s Outreach for Women, 4144 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33711 or to Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, 577 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104, Main Office: 413-536-0853.
