- Date Of Birth: December 1, 1940
- Date Of Death: April 12, 2014
- State: Maryland
Donald P. Ryan passed away in the morning of Saturday, April 12 at his home in Gaithersburg, MD. He is survived by his loving wife, Dolores, his son Kenneth and daughter-in-law Jill Marie Inman, his daughter Suzanne and fiance Daniel Melamed, his grandchildren Julia and Keith Inman-Ryan, his sister Jean Greeley and brother John Ryan. His brother Timothy predeceased him.
Don was born on December 1, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey to Timothy J. Ryan, Jr. and Eleanore L. Ryan. He spent his childhood in Nutley, New Jersey and attended Seton Hall Prep, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Newark College of Engineering. Starting as a deseign engineer for Aircraft Radio Corp. and EDO Corp., Don moved on to executive management at Fairchild and Orbital Sciences, and ultimately served as president of Smiths Detection until his first retirement in 2003. He then founded Proxy Aviation and was President and CEO until his retirement in 2008. He was a highly skilled engineer and businessman, who earned respect and admiration across the world for his work and dedication to the field.
Don spent seventeen years in Montville, New Jersey before relocating to Gaithersburg. He enjoyed a diverse array of hobbies including archery, birdwatching, driving his Corvette and membership in the Corvette Club of America, amateur radio (call sign K3DPR), sailing, and most recently flying high-powered model rockets with the Maryland Delaware Rocketry Association.
Above all else Don deeply loved his family and friends, especially his wife of 48 years, Dolores. He was a proud and supportive father, a devoted grandfather and a loyal friend. He was a good man who found and gave great joy in life. He will be missed, profoundly and always.
