Lowell: John J. Ryan, 66, a resident of Lowell for most of his life, died January 14, 2020 at Lowell General Hospital, following a long illness.
Born in Lowell, son of the late John P. and Lillias E. (Knaggs) Ryan, he attended local schools and graduated from Lowell High School. A U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, John served as a Specialist 4 from January of 1973 until January of 1976 and was a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, and the Sharpshooter Badge. He was employed for several years as a warehouse manager and forklift operator at Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge and later worked in the same capacity for Sweetheart Plastics of Wilmington until illness forced his early retirement.
He was a former member of Saint Margaret's Parish of Lowell and an avid sports fan. He enjoyed thoroughbred horse racing and trips to the major racing venues in the New England and New York area, including, Rockingham Park, Saratoga Springs, Aqueduct Race Track and Belmont Springs. He also enjoyed Greyhound Racing and reading about classic trains, airplanes and automobiles. He was a loyal New England Patriots fan and a Lowell Spinners season's ticketholder. He also enjoyed the New York Yankees and the New York Giants and trips to Yankee Stadium. John enjoyed music and was a fan of the Blues Brothers, B. B. King, Otis Redding, and Benny Goodman and Big Band music.
He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of almost twenty-one years, Marcelle A. "Marcie" (Henderson) Ryan, who was his constant supporter and longtime caretaker during his several illnesses, two brothers, Robert F. Ryan of Arizona, and James C. Ryan and his wife Priscilla of Royalston, his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law who treated him like family, William Henderson, Russell Henderson, Suzanne Ouellette, Cheryl Bergman and Wendy DiMauro and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews, who affectionately referred to him as "Uncle Duck Man". He was predeceased by a brother-in-law Randolph "Randy" Henderson.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend John's Life Celebration to be held on Thursday, January 23, 2020 from 10 a.m. until 12 Noon at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, 116 Main St., Plaistow, NH. His funeral service will begin at 12:15 p.m. in the funeral home with burial with military honors to follow in Saint Joseph Cemetery, Haverhill. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to The Northeast Animal Shelter, 347 Highland Avenue, Salem, MA, 01970, or to Lowell Humane Society, 951 Broadway St., Lowell, MA, 01854. To send a message of condolence to the family, please visit www.brooksidechapelfh.com