Mary Louise Ryan

On July 28, 2026, Mary Louise Ryan peacefully left this world at the age of 87. We comfort ourselves knowing she is now reunited with her beloved husband, William T. "Bill" Ryan. She is survived by her two sons, Thomas and Michael.

Born in Moravia, New York, to Arthur G. Smith and Charlotte Krause, Mary Lou was raised in nearby Auburn with her older brother, Billy Smith. She attended Auburn High School and graduated from Le Moyne College in 1961 with a degree in Humanities.

She moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the Washington Post and met Bill while both were members of the Catholic College Club. They married in 1963 and later moved to Dewey Beach, Delaware, in 1972 with their two young sons.

Bill and Mary Lou opened Ryan Real Estate in 1978, later selling the business and retiring to Fort Myers, Florida. She was an active member of the Catholic Church and volunteered for several charities, including Guardian ad Litem, working with neglected and underprivileged children. She especially enjoyed great restaurants, card games, and cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays.

She will be laid to rest next to her loving husband in the Columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Guardian ad Litem Foundation.