Francis Perdue Ryan, 85, died Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at his residence at Morningside of Sheffield.
He was a native of Dyas and Bay Minette, and long-time resident of Gulfport, Miss. He was a member of Bayou View Baptist Church in Gulfport; was an Army veteran of World War II, he served in Company B, 163rd Engineers Combat Battalion in Normandy, Northern France and Rhineland supervising construction of bridges, roads and airstrips and worked with a mine detection squad. He received a Purple Heart, the World War II Victory Medal, and a Service Medal with three Bronze Stars. After military service he married Kathryn McMillan. He graduated from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University) in 1949 with an Electrical Engineering degree. He was employed for 30 years with the U.S. Civil Service at Keesler Air Force Base as an Electronics Engineer, retiring in 1979.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Kathryn McMillan Ryan; his parents, John Joseph and Margaret Perdue Ryan; brothers, John Ryan, Michael Ryan and Nicholas Ryan.
Survivors include a son, Francis Perdue (Donna) Ryan Jr.; of Virginia Beach, Va.; two daughters, Patricia Ryan (Mike) Hubka of Tuscumbia and Katrina Ryan (Walt) Wigren of Savannah, Ga.; daughter-in-law Sharon Heflin (Richard) Ryan of Virginia Beach, Va.; grandchildren, Megan Ryan (Robby) Wright, Colleen Ryan, Christopher Hubka, Patrick Hubka, Jennifer Wigren (Tim) Burke and Courtney Wigren; great-grandchild, Keegan Burke; two sisters, Anne Sandberg and Agnes Tripp, both of Bay Minette; two brothers, Robert Ryan of Magnolia Springs and Adolph Ryan of Bay Minette and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at Norris Funeral Home in Bay Minette. Burial will follow at Bay Minette Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Norris Funeral Home, Bay Minette.
