A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Mary Lawrence Ryan, D.C., was celebrated Jan. 27, 2014, at Seton Residence in Evansville, Ind. Burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville.
Sister Mary Lawrence died Jan. 24, 2014, at 93 years of age at Seton Residence in Evansville. On Jan. 31, 2013, she celebrated 73 years of vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born in Chicago, Ill., on May 16, 1920, Sister Mary Lawrence was the fourth of 12 children born to Lawrence and Mary Agnes (Moran) Ryan. She was baptized Mary Agnes Ryan. Sister Mary Lawrence was a 1939 graduate of St. Patrick School in Chicago.
Sister Mary Lawrence completed the nursing program at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1945. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing education and sociology at San Francisco College for Women in San Francisco, Calif., in 1952; and she earned her Master of Science degree in nursing education administration and guidance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1959.
Sister Mary Lawrence had a long career in nursing and nursing supervision. In San Francisco, from 1948 to 1957, she served as a nurse and nurse supervisor at St. Mary’s Help Hospital. For 10 years, 1959 to 1969, Sister served as a faculty member at Marillac College in St. Louis, Mo. She served as a group leader (1969 to 1972) of young Sisters and the directress of the juniorate (1972 to 1973) at Marillac Provincial House in St. Louis. In 1973, she was missioned to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., where she served as a nurse from 1973 to 1986 and then as a patient representative from 1986 to 1988. Sister served a year as a docent at the Shrine for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md. (1988 to 1989); she then was missioned to Nashville, Tenn., where she ministered from 1989 to 1995 as a volunteer at Saint Thomas Hospital. In 1995, she entered the Ministry of Prayer at Seton Residence in Evansville where she served until the time of her death.
Sister Mary Lawrence was preceded in death by Betty Ryan, Larry Ryan (Marge), George Ryan, and Jim Ryan. She is survived by Tony Ryan of Lombard, Ill.; Bill Ryan (Norma) of Lombard, Ill.; Peg Ryan of Berwyn, Ill.; Fr. Steven Ryan, OSM, of Portland, Ore.; Noreen (Frank) Hoffman of Lombard, Ill.; Jeanne (Martin) O’Conner of Dundee, Ill.; Jack Ryan (Connie) of Union, Ill.; numerous nieces and nephews; her Sisters in Community; and many friends.