Joseph P. Ryan

Joseph P. “Joe” Ryan, age 88, of Springfield, PA, passed away on Friday, March 13th. Raised in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia, Joe was the oldest child of Anthony J. and Kathryn Ryan, and husband of 65 glorious years to his beloved Bunny Ryan (née Noonan). Loving father of 6, Bunny Ripp (John), Joe (Chris), Tony (Cheryl), Kathleen Foster (Gary), Bill (Tricia), Tom (Rachel) and 7 grandchildren, or as he referred to them as his “little teammates”, Katie, Ryan, Kevin, Garrett, Bunny, Will, and Lauren. Joe was the oldest of 9, and loving brother to, Kathleen Bruder, Mary Ellen Ryan, Sally McNichol, Rosemary McCarty, Anthony Ryan, Patricia Ryan, Thomas Ryan, and Charles Ryan.

Easy to say, if you were lucky enough to cross paths with Joe Ryan during any one of the 88 years he was here on Earth, well, you were lucky enough. We could all take notes on this life well lived.

Whatever point and time you met Joe, you would soon know, there is one team to root for, Villanova basketball. Joe played for the Wildcats from 1955-59, being named captain of the 58-59 team. Joe’s love of basketball was forged at St. Joseph’s Prep, where he scored 1287 points, including 45 in a single game, a record that still stands today. Joe’s accomplishments on the court at Villanova earned him entry into both the Villanova and Big 5 Hall of Fame. Ever the loving father and grandfather, Joe also had a soft spot in his heart for St Joe’s, Boston College, Arizona State, Wake Forest, Penn State, and Notre Dame.

Joe was a Phillies fan through and through, and pacing was to be expected if you were watching a game with him at home. Except when his sister Ellen was over, she would tell him to sit down.

While there was only one woman who was the love of his life, similarly there was only one city where he left his heart: San Francisco. And no visit was complete without an Irish coffee at the Buena Vista. It should be noted Galway often flirted with the top city spot, and he had hoped to go “just one more time”.

He started each morning with a “cup of Joe” at the kitchen counter with the Inquirer spread out looking at box scores. Word has it, though still speculative, that he ended many days sneaking chocolate chip cookies and a beer upstairs as he went to bed.

There was never a day without an American flag pin on whatever shirt, sweater, sweatshirt, jacket that he was wearing. If you were fortunate to have one of his Manhattans, they were “sublime”. He would then tell you that all others paled in comparison.

A man of simple pleasures, deep devotion to his faith, a love story marriage that also was built on the wisdom, that the wisdom started with his best girl.

This is the way to do life.

Dad, we know you’re saying, “ya good, ya need anything”? We’re not good now, but we know you’re good, so we take comfort and will fight our way through our sadness.

John Steinbeck said, “It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone”.

We have been so lucky to be part of your light. Rest easy now, we love you.

The Ryan Family

Relatives and friends are invited to his Viewing, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 9:30 to 10:20 AM at St. Dorothy Church, 4910 Township Line Road, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, followed by a Funeral Mass, 10:30 AM. Interment private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to St. Joseph Preparatory School, https://www.sjprep.org/support-the-prep/the-prep-fund/gifts-in-memory.

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