Obituary of Jacqueline Ryan
Jacqueline J. Ryan passed away on June 21, 2018. Services honoring Mrs. Ryan will be held at Holy Cross Church. On Tuesday, June 26, 2018, visitation will begin at 4:00pm, with vigil beginning at 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, June 27, 2018, Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:00am. Mrs. Ryan will be laid to eternal rest with her beloved husband, George at Holy Cross Cemetery immediately following Mass.
Known to her many friends as Jackie, she was born on August 30, 1922 in Oakland, California. She grew up in Berkeley, where she met the love of her life, George G. Ryan, a sergeant in the army during World War II. They married on July 22, 1944. They had six children: Melanie, Paul, Mark, Robert, Eugene and Dennis. They all survive her. George predeceased her on September 16, 1974. They were very devoted to each other.
Jackie was an excellent pianist and piano teacher. She gave her first lesson at age 12 and her last at 90. When she was 15 years old, she won a Northern California high school speech contest, competing against juniors and seniors as well. She graduated from Presentation High School, a Catholic girls school, in Berkeley in 1937. She was accepted for admission to UC Berkeley that fall, but instead had to work to help support her family during the Great Depression. Despite going through hard times when she was young, she was an optimist and had a great sense of humor.
Besides teaching piano, she directed church choirs at St. Pius in Redwood City, California, where the family lived until 1964, when the family moved to Santa Cruz.
Shortly after Jackie moved to Santa Cruz, she became the choir director at Holy Cross Church. She was the choir director for many years. After retiring as choir director, she continued as a member of the choir. She was a very talented musical arranger.
Jackie also sang with the Cabrillo College Chorus and with the Patti MacDonald singers. She performed with these groups in Europe and Russia.
Her children adored her, and she adored them. And she always spoke of being reunited with her husband, George. While all who knew her miss her greatly, she is now reunited with George for eternity.
A special thanks to her caregivers, Eugene and Dennis Ryan, Lynette Edwards and Yuritzy Sosa Chavez, along with Santa Cruz County Hospice, who all took good care of her and allowed her to live out her life in her home.