Friends, colleagues remember John Ryan

IU was John Ryan’s first love.

On Friday, hundreds of friends and colleagues filled the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union to celebrate the life of IU’s 14th president.

Ryan was president for 16 years and expanded IU into eight campuses in every region of the state, including IU-Southeast, IU-East and IU-Purdue University Indianapolis.

He also helped launch the creation of the Arboretum and the Sample Gates, as well as the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, School of Journalism and the School of Optometry.

People at the celebration reflected on his countless awards, achievements and lasting impressions on IU and those around him.

Students, Christmas carols and a bottle of Scotch were among his favorite things. He could have used some work on his golf game, his friends said.

The ceremony began with a prelude concert featuring music by Ryan’s favorite Indiana songwriter, Hoagy Carmichael, performed by faculty from the Jacobs School of Music.

After an invocation and welcoming introduction from President Michael McRobbie, six of Ryan’s closest friends and colleagues shared their fondest memories of the former president.

They said he was “bigger than life,” and a “principled, gentled man” with an Irish charm who was finally getting the thanks and gratitude he deserved, said friend and first speaker Brian Bex.

Former IU chancellor Peggy Miller said Ryan was the president who knew students’ names on campus and always made time to attend important celebrations and events.

“He once came to a birthday party that my children arranged for me,” she said. “No one could believe that a university president had time for things like that.”

Ryan never meddled or micro-managed, Miller said. He called Miller only once in five years to discuss a University matter. He wanted to know if he could late-register his nephew.

“He supported growth for his students and colleagues,” she said. “We all are more than we might have been without his direction.”

He was president from 1971 to 1987, his term exceeding the length of all but three other IU presidents: Herman B Wells, William Lowe Bryan and Andrew Wylie.

Ryan received several awards and honors, including IU’s University Medal in 2009, 16 honorary degrees from institutions across the country and Kappa Sigma’s Man of the Year in 1975, according to a press release.

But speakers in the ceremony said the former president could not have done it alone.

His wife of 62 years and IU’s first lady, Patricia Ryan, was his “perfect partner in life,” said final speaker and Vice President Emeritus Terry Clapacs.

Ryan’s children, Kathleen and Kevin, also attended the celebration.

In his welcome speech, McRobbie thanked the first lady for bringing “preciousness and dignity” to the University. He said she was a wonderful hostess, mother and support system for Ryan during his presidency.

After the ceremony, as people hugged her and shook her hand, Patricia Ryan said she could not have felt more honored.

“I feel full of love, lots of love,” she said. “That’s all I can say.”