Joseph William Ryan, Jr., 65, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania passed away on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at Hospice & Community Care after a brief battle with a sudden illness.

Joe was born on January 1, 1954 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania to the late Joseph W. and Helen Marjorie (Reese) Ryan. He attended St. James Catholic High School in Chester and graduated from West Chester University with a degree in political science. During college Joe met Jeanne (Harriger) Ryan of Lancaster and the two married in the fall of 1975. After college they settled in Lancaster and in 1981 Joe and three partners formed Red Rose Interior, Inc. Joe proudly served as the President of the local construction company from 1981 through 2019.

In addition to spending time with his family and RRI, Joe enjoyed playing golf, traveling, and reading, especially about American history. In his youth Joe enjoyed playing football and baseball, and continued his affinity for sports as a coach for numerous youth teams over the years. He was a member of Lancaster Country Club, and a former member of the Hamilton Club, and former board member of American Builders and Contractors and the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster.

In addition to his wife, Jeanne, Joe is survived by two children Michael Ryan (Carolyn) of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and grandchildren Annie, Nora and Alexandra, and Megan Ryan (Traci) of Tampa, Florida and grandchildren Sawyer and Huxley with twins on the way, and a sister, Marjorie Battista (Alfredo) of Lake Mary, Florida. He is also survived by sister-in-law Janet Harriger, of Lancaster, sister-in-law JoAnn Cenekofsky (Keith), of East Petersburg, brother-in-law Joseph Harriger (Julie), of Lititz, mother-in-law Dorothy Fasnacht, of Masonic Village, and father-in-law Dr. Miles Harriger (JoAnn), of East Petersburg, as well as numerous nephews and nieces and grandnephews and grandnieces. Joe was preceded in death by a brother in law, Miles Harriger.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to a Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, June 6th, 2019 at 11AM at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church 2427 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA. A luncheon will follow the service at Lancaster Country Club . Friends and family are also welcome to remember Joe from 6:00PM – 8:00PM on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at the Charles F. Snyder, Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA and again at the church Thursday from 10AM-11AM. Private interment will be held at St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster 116 S. Water St. Lancaster, PA 17603 or Hospice & Community Care 685 Good Dr, Lancaster, PA 17604.