Margaret Ridenour Ryan was born February 27, 1926 in Louisville, Kentucky. Her parents were Charles Henry and Lillian Frances (Myers) Ridenour. She lived in the Louisville area and attended grade school at Valley Grade School.

In 1940 the family moved to Scott County, Indiana. She graduated from Scottsburg High School in 1944. She worked in the Laboratory of El Dupont Gun Powder Plant in Charlestown, IN until January 1945. She joined the US Cadet Nurse Corp and attended St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Lafayette, Indiana. She graduated and became an Registered Nurse in 1948.

She began her nursing career at Ft. Benjamin Harrison Veterans Administration Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. She was honored to care for the World War II Veterans.

After meeting Larry Ryan in 1951 on a trip to the Black Hills, she resigned from the VA Hospital and married Larry in Scottsburg, IN on June 1, 1952. They made their home in Deadwood, SD after returning from Indiana.

They were blessed with three children, Jane Ann, Karen Sue and Kevin Larry.

She worked part time at the Homestake Hospital in 1953 and St. Josephs in Deadwood in 1954. In 1955 she was also employed at Ft. Meade VA Hospital until 1963 when she retired.

Her family was her life. She was blessed with good friends. She was a member of St Johns Episcopal Church, St John,s Guild, Beta Signa Phi, Masters Chapter, VFW Auxiliary, and the Deadwood "Bag" Ladies.

A special relationship was her Bridge Foursome with Lorraine Ondrizek, Betty Colburn and Margaret Sulentic. They played for 43 years.

She loved photography, traveling and camping.

She is survived by her children; Jane Ryan Nemecek, Rapid City; Karen Stanley (Lee), Rangeley, CO; and Kevin Ryan, Rapid City. She has 4 grandchildren, Dustin (Courtney) Ryan, Minneapolis, Heather (Mike) Zadra, Rangeley, CO, Derek (Kaitlin) Ryan, Rapid City and Sarah Stanley-Pauley, Rock Springs, WY and 8 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Larry, her parents, a sister, Sarah Barrow, 2 brothers; Charles (Jean) Ridenour and David (Beulah) Ridenour and Pat and (Anna) Besta Ryan, whom she loved very much. Anna was like a second mother to her, as her own mother passed away at an early age.  She was also preceded in death by a son in law, Michael T. Nemecek

A funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, December 22, 2018 at St John's Episcopal Church in Deadwood, followed by interment at Oakridge Cemetery.

A visitation will be held one hour prior to service time at the church.

A memorial has been established to St John's Episcopal Church in Deadwood.