Margaret E. Ryan

Margaret E. Ryan, age 91, of Fairfield, beloved wife of the late Raymond J. Ryan, passed away Sunday, October 25, 2015 at St. Vincent's Medical Center. Born in Bridgeport the daughter of the late William and Susan May, both immigrants, her mother escaping from Austria-Hungary buried in a hay wagon, she was raised in Bridgeport and settled in Fairfield following World War II. Mrs. Ryan graduated from Warren Harding High School and served in the United States Navy WAVES during World War II where she spent the early part of the war inspecting howitzer shells and also as a stenographer where she saw General Eisenhower. After raising her family, Mrs. Ryan was employed at Fairfield University. Mrs. Ryan was a parishioner for many years of St. Thomas Aquinas Church where she was a member of the last mother's circle group active in Diocese of Bridgeport known as the "The Ladies of the LA Leche". She was an avid reader, and enjoyed collecting quality antiques with her husband. Mrs. Ryan once saw Amelia Earhart. Ironically, Margaret was in Manhattan the day the B24 bomber crashed into the Empire State Building and was in the City on September 11, 2001 and saw the twin towers just prior to the attack. Survivors include three beloved children, Raymond J. Ryan and his wife Carol of Aurora, CO, Gary W. Ryan and his wife Lindsey of Fairfax, VT and Donna Brackett and her husband Mark of Osceola, FL; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a brother, William May of Methuen, MA, a sister, Irene Kane of Milford; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two sisters, Katherine Zak and Ruth May. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. meeting directly at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1719 Post Road, Fairfield. Interment with military honors will follow in St. Thomas Cemetery, Fairfield. Friends may call Friday from 3-6 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield. For information or to sign an online guest register please visit www.SpearMillerFuneralHome.com