Christopher Ryan, JR.

Chris Ryan died peacefully with family at his side at his home on Tuesday, May 26, 2015. He was 80 years old. Chris is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ingrid, and by their three children, Ann, Philip and Kate, their spouses, his two sisters, Nancy and Betty, and his four loving grandchildren - Elsa, Lukas, Himalya, and Girnar. A memorial service will be held at the Fort Lewis Chapel on August 2, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
Music was at the center of Chris Ryan’s professional and private life. With advanced degrees in choral conducting and voice, he was prepared for teaching at any level. He also became an accomplished church musician, and his employment with the First Congregational Church of Eugene, OR, gave him the opportunity to put on full-scale performances of some of the greatest liturgical works of Handel and Bach. After moving to Durango, he continued being active musically until his retirement in the mid-eighties. From then on, his focus was chamber music, which he directed and enjoyed at home. Many musicians, from beginners to semi-professional, have participated in the chamber music sessions in the Ryan’s living room. This has been going on all during his declining years, after a disastrous fall from the roof of the house he built, resulting in an almost daily struggle with pain. He will be missed by family, his former students, and all the people that shared his love of music, mountains, literature, and life.