Sally J. Ryan passed away in Grand Junction, Colorado on March 7, 2024.

Sally was born in Columbia, Missouri, graduating from Hickman High School in 1969 as a member of the National Honor Society. Through her early years, Sally and her family explored the United States by camping, hiking, and learning geology from her professor dad.

In 1973 Sally earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff (Phi Kappa Phi, which is Phi Beta Kappa for smaller institutions). There she met her husband-to-be, John Elliott. They married in May of 1973 and spent several years working across the country with Bechtel Engineering.

Sally and John divorced in 1977. She returned to school at the University of Missouri in Columbia, receiving a master’s degree in counseling. Soon after, she was hired at Regis College (now Regis University) in Denver as a resident supervisor but soon became assistant dean of students.

During that time she met Robert (Bob) B. Kasparek, a senior National Park Service official. Bob was crazy about Sal and after a couple of years, he convinced her to marry him in 1984. They had a short but wonderful time together. Tragically, Bob was killed in a plane crash while on duty for the NPS in early 1988.

Sally retired early and spent much of her time volunteering for a hospice center in the Denver area and becoming active in Kiwanis, as well as working with grief groups.

In 2004, Sally moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, to be nearer to her siblings, John E. Ryan (Fruita, CO) and Jan S. Ryan (Crawford, CO). Soon after, their dad, Edward M. Ryan, moved from Missouri to Grand Junction. Together, they had many, many adventures.

Sally and her family traveled extensively. By the time she was an adult, Sal had been to all 48 of the Lower States, adding Alaska and Hawaii later on. She toured Europe and the British Isles several times. Perhaps most notable, she and the family visited both the world’s northernmost town (Nye-Alesund, Svalbard, in the Arctic islands belonging to Norway) and the world’s southernmost town (Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). In Svalbard, she sailed within 400 miles of the North Pole; in the southern hemisphere, she cruised the Antarctic Peninsula. Travel was a true passion for Sally and her family.

After moving to Grand Junction, Sally became active with Kiwanis and spent eight years volunteering for HopeWest Hospice. Her specialty in Kiwanis was working with Aktion Club, a group of developmentally disabled who nonetheless were active and productive members of the community. They loved Sally. Sally was a generous person with a huge heart. She leaves behind many friends and acquaintances who admired and loved her.

Sally is preceded in death by her husband, Bob (1988), her mother, Jane R. Ryan (1990), and her father, Ed (2008). She is survived by her brother, John and her sister Jan, along with several cousins.