John Ryan Passed Away

[Bugnatr]

Godspeed John

 

[rogdeb]

Didn't know John, but I knew of him ................. so very sad ............. R.I.P. John

 

[Fly Bye]

What a tragedy.

Prayers sent.

 

[Burnspot]

I never met him, but I've read about him. RIP John.

 

[beemerdons]

BMW MOA Member Kevin Huddy - akbeemer was a good friend of John's and helped Ryan in his attempt to get to Deadhorse, Alaska.

This is the Atigun Pass on the way to Prudhoe Bay:

This is John Ryan in akbeemer - Kevin Huddy's Fairbanks garage just minutes before departing for the Arctic Ocean.

 

[TriggerT]

I have been unplugged the last few days and just found out about John's death. I didn't know him well, but spoke with him a few times. What a huge loss for the motorcycle world, and the LD community in particular. Damn,

 

[fljab]

I can echo much of the sentiment here. This is a huge loss to our community.

I can't say I knew John well, but I did know him and made a point to say hey to him whenever I was around the same place. He was such an understated guy. I saw him last @ the IBR start this yr.

Tough stuff, I don't know what else to say..............

 

[beemerdons]

Arrangements



I believe this came off the LD Rider list - it was asked to pass it along to anyone who might be interested or a friend of John:
 
--------------
From John's family:
 
Viewing is on Thursday 10/17 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Leber Funeral Home
15 Furnace Road
Chester, NJ
 
Funeral is on Friday 10/18 at 11:00 AM
St. Luke's Parish
265 West Mill Road
Long Valley, NJ
 
In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be sent to:
 
Camp Nejeda
910 Saddleback Road
Stillwater, NJ 07875
 
Family has indicated the church has sufficient room to accommodate any riders that wish to attend.

 

[harpo]

Still in shock and numb,he was my hero sents his UCC and hearing his ride storys, he was a "RIDE IT THERE" kinda guy.

It was said before and i'll say it again...He rode. RIP Big John.

 

[Pterodactyl]

BMW MOA Member Kevin Huddy - akbeemer was a good friend of John's and helped Ryan in his attempt to get to Deadhorse, Alaska.
This is the Atigun Pass on the way to Prudhoe Bay:

This is John Ryan in akbeemer - Kevin Huddy's Fairbanks garage just minutes before departing for the Arctic Ocean.

Thanks for posting those BeemerDon. I'm AKBeemer on the other forum, Pterodactyl over here. Annie and I are so sad it is difficult to fathom. John was many things: a genius in the true meaning of the word, a gentleman who was polite to just about anyone who made demands on his time, a skilled rider who was also fearless (he rode from Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks in 6 hours and 45 minutes on an FJR with Metzler 880s, in the rain..... 500 miles with over 350 on rain slick dirt; average of 77 MPH with a fuel stop). When Annie and I met him in Fairbanks as he washed the Dalton mud off his wheels and put on the sidecases we held for him, he was as always calm, polite and more concerned about us getting home safe then he was himself. He was always looking for his next adventure and always prepared to do it his own special way. John's the reason I own an FJR. Spent a bunch of time talking to him about the bike and how to set it up. Remember his kindness, remember his skill, remember his courage and remember the man.

By the way, the picture taken in Atigun pass was taken by Jack Gustafson of Glennallen, AK one of John's many hard core Long Distance Rider friends. I was on a BMW R1200RT and had turned back long before that shot was taken.

 

[karstenp]

Just found out and at a loss for words. He will be missed.

 

[LKLD]

Terrible news. All the best to his family with losing a wonderful man.

We should all take pause, and think how we are all mortal. This could be me or you. Never take riding for granted.

Rest in Peace John Ryan.

 

[Tanker]

So sorry to hear this terrible news.

Rest in peace John.

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2013/10/victim_in_warren_county_motorc.html#incart_river_default

 

[FJRMGM]

RIP to a fellow FJR rider.

 

[Tyler]

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2013/10/victim_in_warren_county_motorc.html#incart_river_default

What a lovely article... glad the press can get it right upon occasion. I wish I'd had the opportunity to meet him in person.

 

[Geezer]

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2013/10/victim_in_warren_county_motorc.html#incart_river_default

Thank you for posting that Don. I was not comfortable with earlier reports that made it sound like there would be no further investigation into the cause of the crash.

 

[beemerdons]

John Charles Ryan Obituary

John Charles Ryan, 53, of Long Valley, N.J., passed away on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013. A celebration of John's life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, at the William J. Leber Funeral Home, 15 Furnace Rd. (corner of Rt. 206), Chester, N.J., (908) 879-3090. An 11 a.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, Oct. 18, at St. Luke Parish in Long Valley. The interment will be private. For online condolences or more information, visit https://www.williamjleberfh.com. John was born on June 24, 1960, in Jersey City, N.J. He had lived in Long Valley for the past nine years and was previously of Morris Plains, N.J. John was an avid motorcyclist. He held numerous world records for endurance riding. John was a member of the BMW Skylands Club, the New York BMW Riders Club, the New Jersey BMW Shore Riders, and the Iron Butt Association. He also volunteered at Camp Nejeda to help children with juvenile diabetes. John is survived by his mother and father, Janet and John Ryan; his siblings, Susan and her husband, David Drillock, Kenneth and his wife, Barbara Ryan, Anita M. Ryan, Laurie and her husband, Anthony Pietropollo, and Nicole and her husband, Daniel Morin; his nieces and nephews, Justin, Melanie and Trevor Ryan, Michael, Alexander and Christopher Pietropollo, and Brooks and Samaya Morin, and many other loving aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Camp Nejeda Foundation, 910 Saddleback Rd., Stillwater Township, N.J. 07860.
Published in Star-Ledger on Oct. 15, 2013
- See more at: https://https://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?n=john-charles-ryan&pid=167550667&fhid=17166#sthash.fHTkI0aB.dpuf

 

[Mike Aldea]

Although we both lived in New Jersey, I only met John once and that was in East Greenwich, Rhode Island back on July 24th at the Memorial Service for Ardys Kellerman. John was one of the speakers giving remembrances of Queenie at the service. He told a wonderful story of how Queenie came to visit him on his farm and they had a guest room all set up for her. But Queenie insisted on laying out her bedroll in the barn because she wanted to be close to the animals.

The day of the service it was a very warm and they were handing out fans and water for everyone in the church. But John never took off his trademark grey, one piece, Roadcrafter the entire day. I guess that was John . . . always ready to get on his motor and ride. Well now he is riding with Queenie. R.I.P.

Ps - I've heard the family is hoping there will be a lot of riders at St Luke's Parish in Long Valley at 11 AM on Friday for the funeral; but the internment will be private.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I know this may sound insensitive, but he sounds like the kind of guy that you could see getting buried in his Roadcrafter.