Robert Ryan June 9, 1946 - March 7, 2026

Robert Ryan, a resident of Bridgton for many recent years (known as Bob or, among his English family, as Rob), died on March 7, 2026, in hospice after a long struggle with declining health. He is survived by his wife Barbara Burns Ryan, by nephew David Ryan and wife Gill, and their children, David and wife Laura, Martyn and wife Sarah, Dean and wife Charlotte, and by nephew Stephen Ryan and wife Karen, and their children Stephanie and Nicola, by his sisters-in-law, Hilda Ryan and Freda (Winifred) Ryan, and by many other members of his family in England. All of his siblings, John, Christopher, Michael, and Alice are now deceased. In the U.S., Bob is also survived by his wife’s family including sister Janet Burns Ferguson and husband John Ferguson, brother Richard Burns and wife Linda, cousins Sandy Burns, Carl Burns, nephew Eric Martinusen and wife Ellen, Jane Ferguson, Kelsey Burns, and Erin Burns Maurer.

Bob was born on June 9, 1946, in Wheatley Hill, County Durham, a coal mining village in the northeast of England, about 40 miles inland from the North Sea. He was the fifth child of John Joseph Ryan and Elizabeth Ann (Robson) Ryan. He and his sister Alice, who was eleven years older, grew up in Wheatley Hill. Alice helped to raise Bob. They often visited two of his older brothers, Michael (Mick) and wife Hilda and Christopher (Kit) and wife Winifred (Freda) in nearby Hartlepool, County Durham. Although all three of his brothers and his sister died some years ago, Hilda and Freda remain in Hartlepool and have welcomed Bob and Barb back to visit many times.