Lawrence Edward Ryan Jr.

67 of Tempe, Arizona, was born in Brooklyn, NY on September 25th 1945, he passed from this world into the loving arms of Christ on February 25th 2013. He was surrounded by the love of his children and family while holding the hand of his beloved wife Janeen. He fought a valiant battle with cancer for almost six years but, he could fight no more.

Larry grew up in Brooklyn, attended school and began his career in the automobile business. In 1968 he married his childhood sweetheart Eileen Smith, and together they had four children. The family moved to Long Island, NY, then to California to enjoy the warm weather. Larry enjoyed skiing with his family, golfing with his friends and family gatherings. He loved spontaneity and once flew all night from California to New York to surprise his family and attend a wedding they didn’t think he would be able to attend. Sadly, he lost his first wife to cancer in 1994. The loss devastated him.

In 1997 Larry moved to northern California to work at a VW dealership, there met and instantly loved Ms. Janeen Smith, they were married in October of that year in Algodones, NM. The Ryan’s lived in New Mexico, then California and Arizona.

In 2006 Larry began his fight against GIST, (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors), he won many battles with the help of The Life Raft Group, Larry overcame seemingly insurmountable odds against this incurable cancer. In 2009 he became well enough to travel the country in an RV with his wife for 18 months. They enjoyed adventures from the Oregon coast (his favorite) to Cape Cod, Massachusetts and everywhere in-between. They were chased by a tornado in Oklahoma, nearly flooded in Wako, drove inland by a hurricane in Cape Cod and, treated to the beauty of watching every change of season known to the US. Larry loved to fish, he tossed his line in the Pacific, the Atlantic, lakes, rivers, and streams, anywhere he could find to enjoy the water and the tug of a fish on his line.

His illness returned in December 2010, heartbroken he and his wife returned home to Arizona in 2011 to be near the support of their family.

Larry is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Janeen Ryan, his four children, Robert Ryan (Starley) Deanna Anderson (Ryan) Daniel Ryan (Jenna) and Jennifer Emans (Robert), two step children, Colter Smith, and Constance Kerian. Two sisters, Mary Jane Young ,(Chuck) and Judith Bellman, six grandchildren and five step grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father Lawrence Ryan Sr., his mother Janie Ryan and his brother in law Richard Bellman.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, March 3rd at Resthaven Park Mortuary 4310 E. Southern Ave. Phoenix, AZ at 11:00am

In honor of Larry, please make memorial contributions to:

The Life Raft Group - 155 US Highway 46 Suite 202 Wayne, NJ 07470 www.liferaftgroup.org