Ann S. Ryan

Ryan, Ann Shields, of Dennis, 80, passed away peacefully, January 2, 2014.

Beloved wife of the late Robert P. Ryan. Treasured sister of Thomas F. Shields of Boston and Mark Shields of Chevy Chase, MD.

Born in Cohasset, she grew up in Weymouth, and attended Weymouth public schools, where she made many dear friends whom she cherished for life. She graduated from Weymouth High School in 1951 and served as class treasurer. She graduated from Bridgewater College in 1955 with a degree in elementary education, and married Bob, a Bridgewater classmate, in 1957. They settled in South Weymouth, where they raised six children.

Ann loved tennis, her bridge club, lively conversation, laughter, and Cape Cod, where she had vacationed as a girl and where she and Bob eventually retired. She had a soft spot for the underdog and for mint chip ice cream. She loved to travel, and she and Bob visited Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, England, France and many spots in the Caribbean.

She loved children and teaching, and returned to education after her own children were grown to work as a tutor in the Chapter 1 program, which helps disadvantaged students. She was awarded a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. She loved family gatherings, and a good story, and adored her children, her brothers, her grandchildren and her many nieces and nephews. She volunteered at the Family Pantry of Cape Cod, a food pantry in Harwich.

She is survived by her children, William and his wife Lisa of River Forest, IL; Elizabeth and her husband Paul McManus of Wellesley; Mary of Prince Frederick, Md.; Christopher of Billerica; Carolyn of Washington, D.C.; and Robert and his wife Leigh Ann of Greenwich, CT. Cherished grandmother of Ann, Henry, William, Bobby, Jack, Carolyn, Gus, Lucy, Robert, Maggie and John William. 

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Monday 4-8 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home SOUTH WEYMOUTH at 809 Main Street (Rte 18 opp. So. Shore Hospital).  Relatives and friends will gather in the funeral home at 8:30AM Tuesday prior to the Funeral Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church, Weymouth at 9:30AM. 

Kindly consider donations to The Family Pantry of Cape Cod, 133 Queen Anne Rd., Harwich, MA 02645.