Matthew J. Ryan III, of Bethany Beach, Del., formerly of Riverhead, died March 13, 2014. He was 92 years old.
Born in Chicago, Ill., on May 20, 1921,he was a longtime resident of Riverhead.
Ryan was a WWII veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served on the USS Yorktown and Lexington in the Pacific. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Irish Blackthorn Stick, Knights of Columbus and St. Anne’s Parish. He was also fondly known as the “mayor” of Wellington Parkway.
He was predeceased by his wife Yvonne, a son, Matthew J. IV, a daughter, Mary A. Alpert, and a sister, Eileen Buchanan.
He is survived by a brother, Donald and his wife, Clarice; by his children: Robert; Pattie; Kathleen Barczak and her husband Joseph; Donald; Michael; Kevin and his wife Karen; James and his wife Jean; Lynn I Vosburgh and her husband Bill; and Jan D. Dinota and her husband Edward. He is also survived by 28 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home, 336 Marcy Avenue in Riverhead on Thursday, March 20, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A funeral Mass will be offered on Friday, March 21 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Isidore R.C. Church, 622 Pulaski St., Riverhead. Interment will follow at St. John’s Cemetery in Riverhead.
Memorial donations may be made to Delaware Hospice Center, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963.
