Jack T. Ryan

Jack T. Ryan, born John Thomas Ryan, in Pittsburgh, PA, passed away September 19, 2022 in his final home in Carmel, IN at the age of 82, following a long and inspiring battle with chronic disease. 

Jack grew up on Miriam Street in the Pittsburgh, PA Borough of Swissvale and was a 1958 graduate of Pittsburgh's Central Catholic High School.  He enlisted early in the US Army, where he trained as a medic and served most of his tour in Germany.  While on leave in early 1960, he married his high school sweetheart Frances " Franny" Coletta, a Swissvale High School graduate, who was nearly six months his senior.  Upon his discharge and while still in Pittsburgh, Jack and Fran had three sons Keith (1960), Kevin (1961) and Kerry (1966).  The Family of five relocated to Hanover Park, IL, outside of Chicago in 1968, where Jack gratefully employed a VA Loan to purchase the family home of the next 54 years.

Jack attended the University of Pittsburgh as a biology and pre-med major while working in the university's medical research laboratories. This ultimately led him to a successful career in laboratory and clinical marketing.  A few years after moving to Chicago, Jack began his tenure with Scherago Associates which later became Scherago International, Inc. where he rose to Executive VP and owner/partner until his retirement at 71, some 35 years later. 

Most will remember Jack as the ultimate host and a gracious, loyal and charismatic friend, mentor and colleague. He was preceded in death, as he frequently remarked, by too many in his life- most notably his parents John and Helen Ryan, his sister and brother-in-law Lois (Ryan) Hickey and James Hickey, brother-in-law, and sister-brother-in-law, " Butch" Coletta and Patricia (Little) Coletta and tragically, his nephew James Hickey.

Jack is survived by many more of the countless people he touched and loved over eight-plus decades including Fran, who continues her battle with dementia and his sons, daughters-in-law Karla and Sarah, grandchildren Shamus, Clayton, Cassidy, Zachary, Riley, Lila, and Emily and three great-grandchildren, with a fourth great-granddaughter, aptly to be named Jaclyn due in January 2023.

A Celebration of life will be held for Jack near his long-time home outside of Chicago and around his native Pittsburgh late in 2022.

For more information, please reach out to Kerry at kerryryan1966@gmail.com or  (317) 506-0323.  Many know Jack was a lover of his planet and its wildlife and thus supported too many related causes to list. In his honor, keep that spirit alive with a donation to a cause of your choosing.

Bussell Family Funerals is privileged to assist the family in arrangements.

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