Arch Ryan
Service: 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 1, at Holt Memorial Chapel, with burial at Maplewood Cemetery; Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Holt Memorial Chapel.
William Arch Ryan, age 75, passed away peacefully at his home, on Friday, March 27 (2015) with his beloved family surrounding him, after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Holt Memorial Chapel. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 1, also at Holt Chapel. Brother Mark Enloe will officiate.
Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. Pallbearers are Steve McBee, Dickie McBee, Jim McBee, John McBee, Tim Ezell and Freddy Ward. Honorary pallbearers are Charlie Ezell, Roy Bill Ezell, Allen Crawford, Jack Shaddox, Rusty Hayes, John Kennedy, Dr. John Leslie and Dr. Scott Ferguson.
Arch was born June 21, 1939, at Bear Creek Springs, a son of Hubert W. and Hazel (Nixon) Ryan.
He was a member of Bear Creek Springs Baptist Church where he was enrolled in the Cradle Roll in 1939. He was a 1957 graduate of Harrison High School. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for two years and then for 37 years for the State of Arkansas, most of them as Boone County Administrator of the Department of Human Services. He was a charter member of the Boone County Young Democrats and the Boone County Resource Council. He was also a member of the County Administrators Association and Southwest Boone County Water Board, where he was active in community development for rural water, paved rural roads and utilities. After his retirement, he was passionate about cattle farming and lived his dream by operating the family farm. His hobbies were hunting, fishing and training bird dogs.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother-in-law, Richard McBee; and the wife of his nephew Jim, Kelly McBee.
Survivors are his wife, Meredith (Ezell) Ryan, whom he married April 14, 1962; a son, Jeff Ryan and his wife, Melissa; two grandchildren, Brenna and Britt Ryan; a sister, Patsy McBee; two brothers-in-law, Charles Ezell, and his wife, Diana, and Roy Bill Ezell; his nephews and their wives, Steve and Missy McBee, Dickie and Serena McBee, Jim McBee, John and Ginger McBee, and Tim and Sydney Ezell; a niece and her husband, Tammy and Freddy Ward; and numerous other family and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bear Springs Baptist Church, 179 DeVito’s Loop, Harrison, AR 72601.
Condolences may be sent to www.holtchapel.com.
