William E. Ryan

William “Bill” Edgar Ryan

January 18, 1924 – May 24, 2026

Bill, a life-long resident of Amesbury, was the son of the late John and Alice (True) Ryan. Bill enjoyed growing up in Amesbury with many friends and had a notable sports career, particularly in football, and was team captain for the 1941 Amesbury High School Indians. Being in such great shape served him well as December 7, 1941 was only a few days after his last football game. With several of his friends, he enlisted in the Navy after graduating high school in mid-1942. Upon completion of training at the Naval Armed Guard School in Mississippi, Bill boarded the Robert Toombs a “Liberty” ship in Savannah Georgia. After circumnavigating the globe and arriving at the Brooklyn, NY Navy Yard, Bill was assigned to the newly commissioned “fast carrier” battleship, USS New Jersey, BB62, flag ship of the Pacific fleet for most major battles in 1944 and 1945. Bill’s duty station was fire control for the ship’s largest and most powerful 16” guns.

After completing occupation duty in Japan, Bill was honorably discharged in January, 1946, and settled in his boyhood neighborhood where he and his wife Connie raised their five children. Bill’s entire work career was with the Bailey Company in Amesbury and Seabrook, NH. He worked part-time as a call fireman for nearly 40 years serving the Amesbury Fire Department as the Captain of Engine 3.

Upon retirement in 1986, Bill traveled throughout the world with Connie when he wasn’t enjoying his part-time work for the Bartley Machine and Manufacturing Factory. The last 25 years Bill was fortunate to re-connect with his fellow veterans and enjoyed numerous reunions throughout the US and most notably on the USS New Jersey now a museum in Camden, New Jersey. Just three years ago, on May 23, 2023, Bill gave the keynote speech representing his WWII era on board the ship at the Ceremony for the 80th Commissioning Anniversary. He also participated in several WWII major Pacific battle commemoration ceremonies at the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC.

Bill was predeceased by his beloved wife, Constance (Clark) Ryan who died in 2016, and his daughter, Margaret Ryan who died in 2022.

Bill is survived by his daughters Ann Ryan, Sally Ryan, Mary-Elizabeth Norman and her husband Ernest, son John Ryan and wife Mary-Corinne Lyons as well as grandsons Christopher B. Ryan and his friend Alana Ounan, Shane and Katherine Ryan, great grandchildren, William, Charlotte and Jack; nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Celebration of life Mass at 10AM, Saturday, May 30 at Saint Joseph’s Church, 2 School Street, Amesbury, MA 01913 followed by interment at Saint Joseph’s Cemetery, Amesbury.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bill’s memory to: USS New Jersey Veterans Association, 62 Battleship Place, Camden, NJ 08103.

Arrangements were by Paul C. Rogers Family Funeral Home, 2 Hillside Avenue, Amesbury, MA.