Obituary: David A. Ryan, 82, of Milford

MILFORD, CT - (From Sisk Brothers Funeral Home) David A. Ryan, 82, of Milford, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on June 30, 2022, at Griffin Hospital surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Judith Ryan, as well as his five children and their spouses and children: David (Caroline, Victoria, David); Thomas (Linda (fiancé), Joe, Nicholas, Meghan, Jack); William (Cristina, Robert, Alexandra, William); Catherine (Mike, Ryan, Ellie); and Patricia (Mike).

He also leaves behind Judith’s four children, and their spouses and children: Karen (Bill, Lucy); Laurie (Jim, Greg, Owen); Amy; and Wendy (Eric, Abigail, Peter, Nate).

Born August 30, 1939, in New Haven, Connecticut, to the late Connecticut Supreme Court Justice, Elmer W. Ryan, and Dorothy Lawlor Ryan, he graduated from Hopkins School, Yale University, and Cornell University. He was extremely proud to have been a member of Yale’s last undefeated, untied football team in 1960.

Upon graduating from Cornell with a master’s degree from the School of Industrial Labor Relations, David worked for Scovill Manufacturing as Vice President of Labor Relations.

He then started and ran a successful management labor relations consulting business while serving as a member of the Connecticut State Board of Mediation and Arbitration for approximately 50 years as an arbitrator.

He was proud and fortunate, to have been able to work until he passed. When recently asked by a doctor in the emergency room at Griffin Hospital, “When did you retire?” he immediately responded, “I am not retired.”

David was also a founding member and officer of the Woodbridge Father’s Baseball League, the head American Legion baseball coach in Orange, Connecticut for almost two decades, and an assistant football coach at Crosby High School in Waterbury, Connecticut.

He will be sorely missed by the countless number of people, both young and old, who knew and loved him, and whose lives he touched.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, July 8, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 75 Center Rd, Woodbridge, CT.

Burial will follow at Milfordside Burying Ground, 1138 Racebrook Road, Woodbridge, CT. Friends and family may call on Thursday, July 7, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Sisk Brothers Funeral Home 3105 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either Smilow Cancer Hospital, PO Box 7611, New Haven, CT 06519-0611 or Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St., Derby, CT 06418.