A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Aug. 13 in St. Barnabas Church, Bayville, for Timothy E. Ryan, who died in his home in Lavallette Aug. 7 at age 68. Mr. Ryan was an active layman in the Diocese and was also the founder, owner and senior director of Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals.
Mr. Ryan was born in Orange and over the years had lived in Bloomfield, Howell Township and Toms River. He also had a home in Siesta Key, Fla.
He graduated from Howell High School; attended St. Joseph Seminary for Franciscan Friars, Pulaski, Wisc., and graduated from The American Academy McAllister Institute for funeral Service, New York City. He earned certification as a funeral service practitioner from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice, as a sterile eye enucleation surgeon from both Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, and the College of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. He started his funeral service career by serving as an intern at Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors of Trenton and Lawrenceville and then the John J. Ryan Home for Funerals, Keansburg.
After receiving a mortuary science license, he was manager of the Colonial Funeral Home, Lavallette, for 11 years. He went on to purchase that funeral home as well as another in Seaside Park, which he renamed the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals. Currently, the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals is regarded as being the largest family owned firm in New Jersey with six locations in Ocean County.
Mr. Ryan held membership in numerous organizations including the National Funeral Directors Association; he was a member, past president and trustee of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association and was a trustee of the Monmouth and Ocean County Funeral Directors Association. He was councilman of Seaside Park.
As a member of St. Barnabas Parish, he served on the parish council, and on a diocesan level, he was a former member of the board of trustees at Morris Hall, Lawrenceville, and the Ocean County board of Catholic Charities. Other affiliations included the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division #1, Toms River, where he was president and honored as Irishman of the Year; and the Ocean County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, where he served as honored to be the first grand marshal of the parade in 2017. He was invested as a Knight of Merit with Star in The Sacred Constantinian Order of St. George and as a Knight Commander in The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He was a member of the Rev. Gebhard Braungart Council, Knights of Columbus, and the Msgr. John Baldwin Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. He recently became an affiliate member of the Order of Friars Minor, Assumption Province, where he was invested with the Habit of the First Order.
Mr. Ryan was predeceased by his parents, brother and then-wife, Maribeth Eagle Ryan. He is survived by his wife, Denise Putlock Ryan; daughter, Erin C. Ryan, two sisters, Mary E. Ryan and Alice M. Santangelo, and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Entombment was in St. Catharine Cemetery, Sea Girt.
Memorial donations may be made to Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation at foundation.flcancer.com or New Jersey Golden Retriever Rescue at grrinj.org.