Born in Lincoln, Nebraska. Served on a submarine in U.S. Navy 1943 to 1946. Graduate from Creighton University with A.B. in 1949 and M.S. in 1951. Divorced twice. He had five children.

Ryan served on the South San Francisco City Council 1956 to 1962. He was mayor in 1962. Elected to the California State Assembly and served 1962 to 1972. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives serving from January 3, 1973.

In 1978 he went to South America to investigate the "People's Temple" Jonestown settlement founded by the Reverend Jim Jones. At the airport of Port Kaituma, Guyana, he was shot and killed. Jones and his followers drank fruit drink poisoned with cyanide in a mass suicide.

Ryan appears on a mint medal (USM 679) as one of the national historic series. Obverse was by Matthew Peloso; reverse by John Mercanti. The gold medal was presented to the Ryan family November 29, 1984. Bronze copies in 1.5 inch diameter were sold to the public.

bio: BDC; WWWA-7 obit: NYT 11/20/78