The Rev. Dr. John P. Ryan

The Reverend Dr. John Prime Ryan, former rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City died September 28, 2015. A Requiem mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 3, 2015 at St. John's Episcopal Church. Father Ryan is the son of Claude Clinton Ryan and Ida Florence Prime Merrill. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, he grew up in Tulsa and attended Cascia Hall and Central High School. In 1954 he graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio with a B.A. in philosophy and in 1957 he graduated from General Theological Seminary in New York City with a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. He received a Masters in Theology from Trinity College of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada in 1972. In 1985 Father Ryan received a Doctor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Anselm's College in Rome, Italy. He was ordained to the diaconate at The Church of St. Mary-the-Virgin, New York City in 1957 and ordained to the priesthood the same year at St. Luke's Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. From 1959-1973 he was a member of the Order of Holy Cross, a monastic community, in the Episcopal Church in West Park, New York, where he led retreats and served as confessor and counselor. Father Ryan returned to parish work in 1974 and married Agnes Watts Fleming in 1973. He was predeceased by his wife of 33 years Agnes Watts Ryan and a great grandchild Olive Leigh Fleming. He is survived by three children: Pamela Fleming Ruffner (James), Warrenton, Virginia, Scott Richard Fleming, Falls Church, Virginia, and Thomas Drew Fleming (Deborah), Bristow, Virginia. He is also survived by the following grandchildren: Stacy Ruffner Seabright, Andrew Ruffner, Aaron Classi, Thomas Fleming, and Rachel Fleming, and 9 great grandchildren. He was rector of parishes in Oklahoma and Arizona. At the Diocese of Los Angeles he served as chaplain to clergy and families from 1978 to 1981. He returned to Oklahoma in 1982 and was the rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Shawnee. In 1988 until his retirement, Father Ryan served as Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Having an interest in interchurch affairs, Father Ryan was the Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese of Oklahoma, co-chairman of The Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission and served as a member of the Board of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches. He attended ecumenical gatherings in this country and Europe as well as conferences on medieval studies here and abroad. The family wishes to thank the St. John's Church community and other friends for their support during his illness. They also thank the Hospice of Oklahoma County. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the St. John's Church Organ Fund in memory of Bennett Hanneman and Olive Fleming, great granddaughter.