Joseph Ryan

Col. (Ret) USA Joseph D. Ryan (Joe), 81 of Noblesville, Indiana was called home to God on July 4, 2013 from complications resulting from his battle with leukemia. He was born on January 30, 1932 to Joseph and Elizabeth (Phillips) Ryan of Flushing, NY.
Joe entered the US Army in 1955 after being commissioned as an ROTC graduate from Fordham University. He retired a Regular Army Colonel in 1983 with twenty-nine years of active service. During that period, he served as both a field artilleryman and an air defender with three tours in West Germany and one in Vietnam. His assignments included command of troops from platoon through brigade level. His terminal assignments were Commander of a Brigade in Germany, Deputy Commander of a major European Command, and Senior Army Advisor to the State Adjutant General of Indiana. Joe was a resident graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University and held a Masters in Administration from Central Michigan University. His awards included three Legion of Merits, the Soldiers Medal, and the Combat Infantry Badge.
After Army retirement, Joe became Business Manager of Marian University in Indianapolis and later Superintendent of the Indiana World War Memorial. His contributions to the War Memorial included the implementation of a museum quality preservation program for the Indiana Civil War Battle Flags and the development of a long term maintenance and rehabilitation program for the World War Memorial.
Joe dedicated his life to service and his country. He worked diligently on the development of legislation to support retirees and veterans. He served as President of the Indiana Council of Chapters of the Military Officers Assn. of Indiana, Chairman of the Commanding General's Retiree Council at Fort Knox, Past President of the Hamilton County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and a participating member of the Indiana Military / Veterans Coalition. Joe was an avid outdoorsman. He loved his family, his dogs, cherished his friends, and was especially proud of his eight grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Marianne Ryan; sister, Catherine Sanial; brother, Richard (Genevieve) Ryan; daughters, Margaret (Gregg) Martin, Mary Elizabeth (Bruce) Watson, Cate (Claudia Donjakowski) Ryan, Eileen (Brian) Schnepff; step-daughter, Monica Pottschmidt; eight grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Dolores (Rogers) Ryan.
Services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 13, 2013, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 9900 East 191st Street in Noblesville, with Rev. Adam Mauman officiating. Visitation will be Friday, July 12, 2013 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Randall & Roberts Funeral Center, 1685 Westfield Road in Noblesville. Burial with full military honors will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Indiana Chapter, 941 East 86th Street, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46240 or the Veterans House of Indianapolis, 484 E. Carmel Drive, #170, Carmel, IN 46032-2812.