Veronica A. Ryan

Veronica A. Ryan, 80, wife of John T. Ryan of Greenwood Avenue, Bethel, died at her residence December 20.

Veronica was born in New York City, October 30, 1924, a daughter of the late Mary and Charles Miller.

Besides her husband, she is survived by five children, 20 grandchildren, an aunt and uncle, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Survivors include a son, Jack Ryan and his wife Patricia and their children, Kristin, Tara, and Sean of Newtown; a daughter, Margaret Patchen and her son, Evan of Newtown; a daughter, Marion Hubbard and her husband Robert of Bethel and their children, Loretta, Rob, Kathleen, Lois, Lori, Robert, Kelly, Donald, Kerry, and Kim; daughter, Kathleen (Ryan) Mufson and her husband Paul and their children, Hannah and Devyn, of Weston; son, Timothy Ryan and his wife Joanne and their children, Tim, Nicole, Veronica, and Thomas, of Safety Harbor, Fla.; a brother, Charles Miller and his wife Millie of Florida; and a sister-in-law, Marion Geary of Chesapeake, Va. Besides her parents, she was predeceased in 1995 by a son, Charles.

Veronica enjoyed a lifelong passion for the arts and theater. For more than 40 years, she worked at City Center Theatre in New York City, a place she considered her second home. She lived in Bethel part time since 1981, and upon her retirement in 2002, she moved there full time. She kept very active, playing piano and participating in many activities at the Bethel Senior Center, including computer and drawing classes. In particular, Veronica received great enjoyment as a member of the Singing Club at the Bethel Senior Center, serving as secretary for this group that performed locally for other senior citizens.

The family requests memorial donations be sent to the Charles P. Ryan Memorial Scholarship Fund at Thomas College, 180 West River Road, Waterville ME 04901-5097.

The funeral was conducted from the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel on December 23 to a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at St Mary Church, Bethel. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery, Bethel.

The Newtown Bee     ­December 24, 2004