Grace R. Ryan

Waltham – Mrs. Grace R. (Mulvahill) Ryan, of Waltham, died Sunday, February 21, 2010 at Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton. She was 95. Grace was born in Cambridge on October 15, 1914, a daughter of the late Thomas and Mary (Nagle) Mulvahill. She was raised in Watertown where she graduated from Watertown High School in 1932. She married her late husband, William J. 'Laddie' Ryan, in 1944 and shortly after the war the couple moved to Waltham where Grace had lived since. After Laddie's sudden death in February, 1956 Grace accepted a position with the Waltham School Department to raise her family of four young children. She worked as a secretary for the assistant superintendant of schools for thirty-five years until her retirement when she was 76. In her spare time she kept up with friends, including old chums from her Watertown High days, and especially enjoyed each of their reunions. When she was in high school she took up tennis, a sport that she enjoyed playing well into her 70's. Grace also swam regularly into her 80's and was a talented piano player. Always a follower of local and national politics, she was proud of the fact that she voted in 16 presidential elections. She could regularly be found watching the Charlie Rose show on PBS late at night, always keeping up with the latest current events. Grace was also a strong supporter of those serving in the military and their families and rarely missed a Waltham Veterans Day commemoration event. She leaves her children, Robert M. Ryan of Attleboro, Kevin W. Ryan and his wife, Mary Ellen (Keohane) Ryan, (Ret.) Lt. Col. Christine M. Ryan, U.S.A.F. and Mary Louise Ryan, all of Waltham; her grandsons, Michael Ryan and his wife, Kathleen, Gregory Ryan and his wife, Andrea, all of Reading, Jeffrey Ryan and his wife, Beth, of Beverly, Robert Ryan of Attleboro, Christopher Ryan of Rehobeth and Matthew Ryan of Occidential, California; her great-grandsons, Leo, Cameron, Nolan, Jake, Jackson, Timothy, Darren, Jack, William and Zachary; her great-granddaughter, Grace; her nephews and her niece and godchild, Sr. Claire Edwards, D.C. of Buffalo, New York. Grace was a sister of the late Rosemary Edwards, Thomas, Kathleen, and John Mulvahill. Family and friends will honor and remember Grace's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20) Waltham on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham. Memorial donations may be made to The Fisher House Boston (a home for the families of wounded veterans), P.O. Box 230, South Walpole, MA 02071.