Portrait of Gerald     (Jerry) Thomas Ryan
VETERAN

Gerald (Jerry) Thomas Ryan

December 1, 1941 – May 28, 2026
Lived 84 years
Calvary Cemetery · Seattle, WA
"Life is a journey, not a destination". -Ralph Waldo Emerson
In service to country

Thank you for your service

Gerald served in the armed forces. We honor that service here.

Life story

Born and raised in Seattle, WA. Jerry graduated from Blanchet High School in 1959. He went to Seattle University, where he majored in business and was a member of the advanced Army ROTC program. This secured him a commission upon graduating.

The Army then sent him to Fort Knox, KY, for his training and then to the DMZ in Korea for 13 months. His remaining time with the Army was spent much closer to home at Fort Lewis.

His first job out of the Army was with Xerox. From there, he went to several big companies, including Steelcase, and ended his career at the Design Center in Seattle, being the Leasing Manager.

Jerry experienced marriage twice. The second one stuck for 42 years. As well, he experienced the joy of fatherhood with one child.

Downtime included being an avid fan of: Washington Huskies Football, SU Chieftain Basketball, and Seattle sports in general. Other activities included traveling. He loved anywhere with a good beach. He toured several countries in Europe, including Ireland. The heritage that he was extremely proud of.

Jerry loved animals of all kinds, domesticated and wild.

He also loved striking up conversations with anyone, no matter where he was.

He is missed......PUMA PUMA. (IYKYK)

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Lifetime

The world Gerald knew

Family milestones in gold, history for context

1941
Born December 1
1948
Gerald was 7 when the Columbia Basin Project delivered its first irrigation water
1959
Gerald was 18 when Barbie made her debut
1962
Gerald was 21 when the Seattle World's Fair opened with the new Space Needle
1971
Gerald was 30 when Walt Disney World opened in Florida
1989
Gerald was 48 when "The Simpsons" debuted as a series
1995
Gerald was 54 when "Toy Story" became the first fully computer-animated film
2001
Gerald was 60 when Apple introduced the iPod
2015
Gerald was 74 when "Hamilton" opened on Broadway
2022
Gerald was 81 when ChatGPT was released to the public
2026
Passed away May 28, age 84
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