Raymond Joseph Ryan

GARNER - Dr. Raymond J. Ryan, 97, of Garner died Tuesday (May 29, 2012) at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt. Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Saturday, June 2nd at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Fr. Dennis Miller officiating. Burial will be in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M., Friday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner with a Knights of Columbus rosary at 7 P.M. followed by a Scriptural wake service. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Memorials may be directed to St. Boniface Catholic Church, Relay For Life, or to the donor's choice. Dr. Raymond "Doc" Ryan, the son of John and Clara (Harlan) Ryan, was born October 16, 1914 in Wabasha County near Plainview, MN. He attended country schools for the primary years and then stayed with relatives who lived closer to town for his high school years. Following his graduation from Plainview High School in 1932, Doc went to work for Carl McNallan, an area dairy farmer, for three years. In 1935, after saving his earnings for tuition, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in Agricultural...[more]

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ucation. In 1938, he was accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University, graduating in 1942. He started his practice of veterinary medicine in Lake Mills when he replaced a vet who had been drafted. The Lake Mills vet returned from the war in November of 1945, prompting him to relocate his practice. Shortly after, he located in Garner replacing the late Dr. Samuel Wesson. In addition to this practice, Doc became an inspector at the Garner Sales Barn. On February 7, 1948, Raymond was united in marriage to Regina (Jean) Henry at St. Michael Catholic Church in Whittemore. To this union two daughters were born. Doc retired from his practice In 1979. He never forgot the good clients whom he claimed were the reason for his successful business. His favorite pastimes were listening and dancing to Big Band music, traveling with his wife, Jean, and helping out when an extra hand was needed on their farm near Woden. His great joy in life was following and being part of the life events of his family. He was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, a life member of Knights of Columbus and a past member of the Garner Lions Club. Doc was a life member of the Iowa Veterinarian Medical Association, a member of the National Veterinarian Medical Association and a past president of the Upper Iowa Veterinarian Medical Association. Those left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Mary (Roger) Kopacek of Britt and Kathleen (Patrick) McCabe of Mankato, MN; grandchildren, Kara Steffensmeier, Andrew Kopacek, Ryan McCabe, Joseph (Virginia) McCabe and Dr. Jonathan McCabe; four great-grandchildren, Mitchell, Matthew and Aidan Steffensmeier and Gisele McCabe; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Jean, March 9, 2012; five sisters; and two brothers.