Maude Irene Ryan

Maude Irene Ryan (Malott) February 8, 1914 - October 7, 2019 The eldest of five children, she was born to Walter and Annas Malott in Texarkana, Arkansas. Her siblings, Ruby, Ode, Dorothy and Doug, lived on a rural farm without indoor plumbing, electricity, or telephone. They raised animals (chickens, cows, & pigs), harvested cotton, peanuts. Bath night was Saturday, and you carried your one pair of shoes to church. She was eighteen before she saw her first automobile. Attending school only to third grade, she did earn her GED in 1954. Married to her sweetheart, Oscar Gerald Ryan on February 5th of 1936, they moved around for the next few years from St Louis Missouri to Wallace Idaho, where son Donald was born in 1937. The family ended up in Seward Alaska during World War II, where there just happened to be a contingent of troops from Arkansas. Their house became the unofficial gathering place for those men to get some "down south" cooking and share stories. Eventually moving to Vancouver, Washington in 1945, she worked in the shipyards riveting and operating crane. She also worked for Jantzen knitting mills until near retirement age. Maude was active at the Leupke Center until she was about 90, helping decorate and attending many dances and dinners. Her husband Oscar passed away in 1982 and she lived on her own until she was 98, still driving at 92 (no accidents!) She was a resident at Brookdale Vancouver Orchards Retirement Community. Until about 3 years ago, she was walking 2 miles a day. Her hobbies included: knitting, sewing, macrame, crocheting, candle making, tole painting, ceramics, and just generally being very craft oriented. She made most all of her own clothing, Christmas tree decorations out of egg cartons and sytrofoam eggs, napkin rings that looked like antique bronze out of toilet paper cores and aluminum foil. Maude is survived by: Son, Donald Ryan of Ariel Washington; Grandchildren, Toni Ryan of Vancouver Washington, Cary Ryan of Panama City Florida, and Brenda Kesterson of Puyallup Washington; Great grandchildren, Cody Ryan, Cameron Ryan, Cole Kesterson, Adam Kesterson; Great great grandchildren, Kaileigh Ryan, Aria Ryan