Our “Mister Wonderful” Robert ‘Bob’ Ryan passed away on December 13, 2017. He was born September 6, 1937 in Omaha, Nebraska.
At the age of 18, he joined the Army. He had two tours in Germany and one in North Korea. Bob took up sport parachute jumping while in the Army and had over 500 jumps when he gave it up due to poor health. While stationed in Tacoma, Washington, he met his future wife, Naomi Jean Needham. They were married in Sedro-Woolley, Washington in 1963. After nine years of service, he left the Army and was employed at Asarco at their Tacoma facility. Bob received his Associate Degree from Tacoma Community College. Then he moved to Omaha, Nebraska so he and his family could be with his mother until her passing. While there, he worked at GOCA. In 1978, they moved to Sedro-Woolley, Washington where they stayed, loving the small town feeling. He worked at Skagit Valley College and then at Fine Wood Cabinets in Oak Harbor. In his spare time, in his early years in Sedro-Woolley, he volunteered at the High School instructing the Flag and Rifle Teams. From 1989 to 2013, he and his wife were foster parents where they had an extended family experience.
Bob is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Kim Twyman; son, Rob Ryan; grandchildren, Mikhael (Patrick) Dawson, Autumn (Dan Keilman) Twyman, Skyler Twyman, Kelsea Polk and Jeffery Reeves; great grandchildren, Ethan Williams, Liam and Emma Keilman, and Jeffery Reeves; brother-in-law, Steven Needham, of Anacortes; sisters, Patsy of Arizona, Pat of Texas and Georgia of Nebraska; brother, Bill (Mary) of Nebraska; many nieces and nephews that held a special place in his heart.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marjorie and Robert Ryan; stepfather, Gib Forrester; brother, Mikey; mother and father-in-law, Blanche and Merlin Needham; brothers-in-law, Dennis and Arnold Needham.
Services will be held mid-March in Sedro-Woolley.
He was a wonderful man. You had many great years together. Sorry I can’t make the memorial service. Jean, I appreciate the years you worked in my accounting department.