Following is the Anchorage Daily News's official obituary on Irene Ryan:
Ryan was born Sept. 10, 1909, in Boston, to Leonard Laukki and Esther Neiminen Irvine. On Feb. 19, 1938, she and John Edward Ryan, a fellow student at the School of Mines, were married. In March 1941, the Ryans, with their one-month-old daughter Marcella, returned to Anchorage permanently. Mrs. Ryan practiced as a consulting civil, mining, geological and petroleum engineer. She was employed during her long career by the CAA (now the Federal Aviation Administration), Birch- Johnson-Lytle Construction Co., Thomas B. Bourne Associates, Fluro Corp. Ltd., Shell Oil Co., Lyon & Associates, and her own consulting firm. From 1970 through 1974 she was commissioner of the Department of Economic Development for the state of Alaska, under Gov. William Egan. Among her many professional projects were design of Anchorage International Airport and 16 other major Alaska airports, construction of the military pipeline from Skagway through Canada to Fairbanks, design and construction of housing subdivision in Anchorage, and development of geologic maps and surveys for Anchorage Gas & Oil Development Inc. She also organized Oil Well Service Co. Inc. A significant amount of her professional engineering career was in conjunction with Maynard Taylor, Architect, and Lyon Associates, Inc. Mrs. Ryan served in the 1955 and 1957 Alaska Territorial House of Representatives and the 1959 Alaska State Senate. She was a member of the Alaska Petroleum Section of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, Alaska, Miners Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Women Engineers, American Association for the Advancement of Science Arctic Institute, National Association of Geology Teachers, the Resource Development Council, and Commonwealth North. Her honors include her honorary doctor of science degree from Alaska Pacific University in 1985, Alaskan of the Year in 1986, and her fellowship in the Society of Women Engineers. Mrs. Ryan is survived by her husband, John Edward "Pat" Ryan of Anchorage; daughters and sons-in-law, Marcella and Patrick Sharrock of Anchorage and Patricia and Robert Clasby of Juneau, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces.
John E. "Pat" Ryan was born on Dec. 21, 1913, in Albany, N.Y. In 1932, he graduated from high school in California and in 1940 received a bachelor's degree in geological engineering from the New Mexico School of Mines. In 1938, he and Irene Esther Irvine were married. In 1941, they moved to Anchorage. While in high school, Pat built and flew a 45-foot wing span soaring glider. From 1932 to 1935, he prospected for placer gold by pack train in Mexico. While attending college, he worked as an underground miner in the Rocky Mountain states. Upon arrival in Anchorage, he joined Bechtel Corp., constructing the coal burning power plant at old Fort Richardson. He worked for more than 30 years in power plant operation for the U.S. Army, retiring as superintendent of the new Fort Richardson central heat and power plant. He then spent seven years placer gold mining in the Circle District. During the 1950s, the Ryans developed residential and commercial subdivisions in the Anchorage area. From 1957-65, they were involved in oil and gas leasing. They organized Oil Well Supply and Service Co. in 1958. Pat prospected in Alaska, Yukon Territory, and West Africa. From 1944-48, he taught mining extension courses for the University of Alaska and helped organize the Alaska Prospector's Society. After the 1964 earthquake, Ryan and his friend, John Van Ort, received the Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award for rescuing two children from a burning home. Ryan formerly served on the board of directors of the Chugach Electric Association. He was a member of the Alaska Miners Association, Petroleum Club of Anchorage, Chugach Range Riders, Commonwealth North, Operation Statehood, Holy Cross Parish, and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
From the guide to the Irene E. and John E. "Pat" Ryan Papers, 1930-1997, (University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Polar Regions Collections & Archives)
