Robert Wayne Ryan

Robert was blessed by the Lord with a wonderful life. He was born June 29, 1960 in Miles City, Montana to Bob and Donna Ryan. At an early age he knew the importance of family and adored his brothers and sister. In 1966 the family moved to Spokane, Washington. The Ryan Family was very active in the Spokane Civic Theater and Robert's favorite performances were in Oliver and Finian's Rainbow.

At Madison Elementary, he met his lifelong friends of Scott Carlon, Dan Saffle, Dave Cebert and Gunner Webb. He attended North Center High School where he played on the 1977 City Championship Football team. Soon after graduating from North Central in 1978, he began managing several rock bands from Spokane and Seattle. Bands such as Whitefire, Madrigal, Ice, USK, The Studebakers, VHF, Rebel, Carmel Watters and Spencer Davis all benefitted from his passion of music and natural talent for leadership. He later worked with Tears for Fears while living in LA.

In 1986 working for the RD Percy Company in Seattle, he met the love of his life, Jane Benz. They married in 1990. He went on to work for the Nielsen Company which moved them to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. While in Chicago, he decide to take his talents and start DIY Promotions, a company that provided budding musicians with the necessary tools to do their own promotions.

While Robert and Jane were not blessed with children, they had three precious cats, Maggie, Kelly and Tom who brought them lots of love and joy.

In 1997, he was diagnosed with Huntington Disease, the disease that his mother Donna passed away from in 2000. To take back control of his health, he dedicated his time to walking and walked over 3,400 miles. He strengthened his commitment to The Lord and his Savior through studying the Bible, chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse.

To be closer to family, in 2014 Robert and Jane moved back to the Pacific Northwest where Robert gallantly and graciously lived out his final years battling the disease.

Robert is survived by his loving wife of 28 years, Jane; his brother Rick Ryan, wife Sandy, son Nathan and daughter Celina; brother Ron Ryan and sister, Rolanda Webb, husband Gunner and son Ryan, and Stepmother Kathy Ryan.

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to The Huntington's Disease Society of America (1-800-345-4372 or www.HDSA.org (Donate - Tribute and Memorial Gift)), in Memory of Robert and Donna Ryan.