Mary Katherine (McDermott) Ryan

Mary K. (Mrs. Joseph) Ryan, age 95 of DeWitt, Iowa, died early Saturday morning, November 19, 2016 at Hallmar Nursing Home, Cedar Rapids.

Mary Katherine Ryan was born on September 17, 1921 in Charlotte, Iowa to Cleo and Helena McDermott. She was third born in a family of 9 children who grew up on an Iowa farm north of DeWitt, IA. Mary is the last survivor among her brothers and sisters who included Leonard (Marcella), William (Margaret), Teresa (unmarried), Lois ( Edward Sterenchuk), Helene (Jim Kane), Ann (Xavier Barrios), Josephine (Paul McMahon) and Jean. Jean died at age 16 in 1938 due to influenza. Her sister Teresa, age 91, recently passed away on October 26, 2016. The McDermott extended family includes numerous nieces and nephews and their children and now even grandchildren of those nieces and nephews.

Mary grew up in an era of early mechanization of farming activities, but farming was still a labor intensive and arduous lifestyle. Automobiles were scarce in her early years but certainly more common by the early 1930s when Mary would have been approaching her teen years. Family life revolved around the immediate rural community and the nearby Petersville Catholic church near the family farm. Her father and mother, Cleo and Helena, were progressive Catholics who, in the Irish traditions, believed in education and professional careers particularly for their daughters while planning to encourage their 2 sons to continue the family farming tradition. All of the daughters were given the opportunity to complete high school and in some cases to pursue college. This would have been relatively rare or at least difficult to achieve in the 1930s, a time of severe economic hardship in rural communities due to the national economic Depression.  In 1938 Mary received her high school diploma from Mt. Mercy Academy in Cedar Rapids, IA, at age 17. Her father was a school board member of the rural school system near their home and he helped Mary to start her teaching career in 1939 just shy of her 18th birthday, which was the normal minimum age for teachers found in the “country schoolhouse” setting.  These efforts illustrate how important it was to Cleo and Helena that their daughters get an education and begin professional careers.

Mary’s initial teaching career was short lived due to her marriage in June, 1942 to Joseph Ryan in DeWitt, IA. The rural school system in place at the time limited teaching openings to unmarried women, so her marriage disqualified her from that position. Mary and Joe began their life in DeWitt though within close proximity to her family who for the most part lived a few miles outside of DeWitt. Mary and Joe had 7 children, born between 1943 and 1956: Lourdes, Larry, Regina, Dennis, Martin, Teresa and Joseph. They purchased a farm property north of DeWitt in 1950 from Mary’s grandmother, Anna Beitenman, where the family earned a living doing the difficult farm labor and managing tight family budgetary conditions  until 1965 when the farm was sold and the family moved back to DeWitt.

During the farming period, Mary continued her education with college courses taken one at a time on weekday evenings and weekends beginning after her last child, Joe, was born in 1956. This effort included commutes to Clinton or Davenport (1/2 hour drives) over a period of 10 years. During this time Mary secured a teaching position at St. Joseph Catholic School in DeWitt in 1961. This meant that she managed all the typical family household matters, helped with daily farm chores, had a professional day job at the school, returned home for evening meal preparation and more farm chores and at least one night a week car-pooling to her college class in Clinton or Davenport. She managed all this while raising 7 children, following normal Catholic religious training for her children, and maintaining strong family contacts with her entire family. She was devoted to her father (who lived until the early 1980s) and her mother (who died in 1960). Nearly every week during the warmer months of the year there was a visit to one of her family members’ homes where the children also established strong family ties with their cousins.

Mary graduated from Marycrest College in Davenport  in 1968. She completed her college degree work despite the loss of her oldest son, Larry, just a few weeks earlier. With her new degree she was qualified to work in the public school system, which meant more family income, which she began in 1968. She taught in the DeWitt Central Community school district for 20 more years while also continuing many family traditions and activities as her children approached adulthood. She had taught or had contact with an entire generation of students and their families who passed through the St. Joseph and DeWitt school systems over a period of nearly 28 years.

She had a full and vibrant life clearly dedicated to her family, including not only towards her own children and grandchildren (including 12 “great” and 2 “great-great” grandchildren) but also her brothers and sisters and their families as well. This large immediate and extended family (nearly 60 strong currently) was held together by the strong bonds nurtured by Mary and her other brothers and sisters. The family would be tested over many years with shattering tragedies which included the loss of 5 men in their early years. Mary’s oldest son, Larry Ryan, died in 1968. This was followed by the untimely deaths of Edward McDermott (1973), Thomas McDermott (1975), Kevin Sterenchuk (2000) and Mary’s second son, Dennis Ryan (2011). In addition, 2 of Mary’s grandsons, Matthew McGrath (1967) and Timothy McGrath (1968), sons of Lourdes, died shortly after child birth. Mary endured the loss of a sister in 1938 which provided a precedent for managing the loss of her sons and grandsons with somber grace. She also provided a pillar of support for other family members who lost their own children or endured other hardships over the years. Mary’s dedicated Catholic religious beliefs served to ease the pain of these events and to help encourage a stronger resolve to press forward with uncomplaining dedication towards her family and community.

Over the past 30 years Mary and Joe maintained a comfortable retirement in DeWitt which included continued community contributions and enjoyed frequent visits by friends in the community and family. Their home was always welcoming and warm which only encourage repeat visits by many. Mary has been particularly grateful for the generous considerations given by her many nieces and nephews for their continued kindnesses and support over the years.  In 2009 Mary and Joe moved from DeWitt to an independent living / care facility in Cedar Rapids, IA. Their home (5th St) was sold to St. Joseph church as a residence for the parish priest. This transaction was particularly welcomed by the family that the Ryan home could be passed onto the church. Cedar Rapids offered close proximity to several children and many nieces and nephews and other family members who have continued to make frequent visits.  Mary and Joe observed their 74th wedding anniversary on June 2, 2016. Mary’s advancing age did not diminish her excellent recall of events, names and dates of various historical family relationships nor her fine sense of humor. We will remember Mary Ryan as a devoted Mother, a stalwart Aunt and family mentor and dedicated Educator. 

The family will receive relatives and friends at Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 22, 2016, with a vigil service at 6:30 p.m.  The Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 23, 2016, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, DeWitt with the Rev. Fr. Paul Connolly officiating.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph School and Mercy Hospice.

Condolences may be expressed and a photo tribute viewed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com.