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In Memoriam: Dr. Thomas F. Ryan, III '61
The Gonzaga community mourns the loss of an extraordinary man and alumnus Dr. Tom Ryan '61. A true Man For Others, Dr Ryan was named Gonzaga Man of the Year in 1994 and inducted into the Gonzaga Athletic Hall of Fame for his decades of volunteer service in support of Gonzaga football as the team's doctor. Doc Ryan as he was affectionately known was also a great musician during his time as a student on Eye Street, and was named the "Best Musician" in the 1961 Aetonian. Below we share a few reflections honoring Doc Ryan's memory:
Back
Doc served as an army doctor, and after returning from Vietnam, he began volunteering for Gonzaga football as the Team Doctor in the late 1970's. Over the years he became a fixture at games on Eye Street -- he rarely ever missed. And along with his sidekick, Pete Grau '56 who served as the team's game day trainer, Doc became an extension of the coaching staff. He knew the name of every player. His office in Chevy Chase became an extension of the Gonzaga training room, and not just for athletes. Teachers, parents, brothers and sisters.... Doc kept Gonzaga moving! I remember him as a colleague and a friend. After my own coaching days were done, I'd often be granted a spot on the sideline by the current coaches. I always stood alongside Doc and Joe Reyda. I probably had more fun doing that than I did coaching, which was a blast. Thank you Doc for all you gave to our beloved Alma Mater.
-Danny Costello '72
-Danny Costello '72
Over the course of my coaching career at Gonzaga, I came to know Doctor Tom Ryan as a good friend. He was dedicated to the Gonzaga football program, and gave his time freely in service to our athletes and coaches. Tom was an orthopedist, and when a Gonzaga athlete needed to see someone, all it took was a call to Doc Ryan's office. He found time to treat our players as soon as he possibly could. On countless occasions, when a player came down with one injury or another, the familiar refrain became a mantra. "Call Doc Ryan, he'll see you today." Tom was incredibly generous. When I broke my leg, there was no question who I would see to set it, and Tom made sure the appointment was made to fit my schedule. When Tom moved to Florida, he left behind a silent place in the rhythm of my life, filled with good memories, and smiles at the thoughts of a good man.
-Mr. Mark Howell '73
It was my first year as head coach for Gonzaga's soccer team and we were in the middle of playoffs. I was working with the players (trying to inspire them), and I twisted my knee. I had never met Dr. Ryan, and Ms. Penny Lynch suggested he look at it. I walked into the Gonzaga training room, and he gave a quick assessment and said, "let's look at it tomorrow in my office." I got an MRI the next day, and then a day after the season was over, I was in Dr. Ryan's operating room. Within one week I was already starting the healing process. It was just another experience of the Gonzaga community putting the staff above everything else; no waiting for an appt, no waiting for an OR, no billing issues with insurance -- just generosity personified from someone who clearly cared deeply for anyone who shared in and believed in the Gonzaga experience.
-Mr. Scott Waller
Doc was the best. I could not have asked for a better mentor at Gonzaga. As the first official Athletic Trainer at Gonzaga in the mid 1990's, I would not have survived without him, Pete Grau, and Joe Reyda. He was always available. I would take guys over from any sport and before they were done filling out the paperwork he would have them in a room or getting x-rayed. He truly loved this place. When I first started here he watched everything I did and would come out on the field quickly for an injury. By year two, he had more confidence in me then I had in myself. As recently as 2015, we had a dislocated ankle during a game and he reduced the ankle. I was complaining about how long it took for the ambulance to arrive and said I didn't know what I would have done if he wasn't there. He replied, "You saw what I did, you got it." Thank God he was there, all those years. The sidelines haven't been the same since he retired. You will be missed Doc, we love you.
-Ms. Penny Lynch
A private family service has already taken place. Thank you for joining us in praying for Dr. Ryan's family, including his wife Bliss, daughter Aimee and beloved grandchildren. May we always remember his enduring example of service and friendship to all he encountered here on Eye Street, and may he rest in peace.
-Mr. Mark Howell '73
It was my first year as head coach for Gonzaga's soccer team and we were in the middle of playoffs. I was working with the players (trying to inspire them), and I twisted my knee. I had never met Dr. Ryan, and Ms. Penny Lynch suggested he look at it. I walked into the Gonzaga training room, and he gave a quick assessment and said, "let's look at it tomorrow in my office." I got an MRI the next day, and then a day after the season was over, I was in Dr. Ryan's operating room. Within one week I was already starting the healing process. It was just another experience of the Gonzaga community putting the staff above everything else; no waiting for an appt, no waiting for an OR, no billing issues with insurance -- just generosity personified from someone who clearly cared deeply for anyone who shared in and believed in the Gonzaga experience.
-Mr. Scott Waller
Doc was the best. I could not have asked for a better mentor at Gonzaga. As the first official Athletic Trainer at Gonzaga in the mid 1990's, I would not have survived without him, Pete Grau, and Joe Reyda. He was always available. I would take guys over from any sport and before they were done filling out the paperwork he would have them in a room or getting x-rayed. He truly loved this place. When I first started here he watched everything I did and would come out on the field quickly for an injury. By year two, he had more confidence in me then I had in myself. As recently as 2015, we had a dislocated ankle during a game and he reduced the ankle. I was complaining about how long it took for the ambulance to arrive and said I didn't know what I would have done if he wasn't there. He replied, "You saw what I did, you got it." Thank God he was there, all those years. The sidelines haven't been the same since he retired. You will be missed Doc, we love you.
-Ms. Penny Lynch
A private family service has already taken place. Thank you for joining us in praying for Dr. Ryan's family, including his wife Bliss, daughter Aimee and beloved grandchildren. May we always remember his enduring example of service and friendship to all he encountered here on Eye Street, and may he rest in peace.
Celebrating 200 Years of Jesuit Education in the Nation's Capital
