I met Garry Ryman in 1971. He was 30 years old and was returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam as a Naval Intelligence Officer. He was coming to meet me for the first time. I was with my mother, Frances, and sister, Anne. We were in Morocco, North Africa, where my mother’s parents lived. Garry had met my mother in Morocco 4 years earlier. He was stationed at the naval base there and fell in love with her immediately. Her family was American and French and had been in Morocco for a couple of generations. My parents took off to Maryland in 1967 and got married. My sister was born in Edzel, Scotland in 1969 while my father was stationed there for a short while. For the next few years he served on various ships in the Pacific and the Mediterranean. Much of this was only known to us much later. He would return for short periods and go back. We then settled down in Virginia Beach and then Washington DC. In 1978 our family moved to Germany when my father was appointed Commander of the Naval Security Group there. We spent our weekends swimming, as he was the coach of our school swim team, skiing—he taught us to ski when my sister was nine and I was 7, or walking across the German countryside. After 3 years in Germany we moved to Belgium, and more specifically at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe—known as SHAPE. This is the military Headquarters for NATO. This is where the family came of age over 8 years—where my sister and I attended high school and where my father retired from the Navy to become a NATO intelligence chief. Garry died in Brazil in 2004. He died saving his grandchildren from drowning. His death still resonates deeply in our family and among our friends. The shock was only matched by the broad impact at SHAPE, among friends from around the world. So many kind friends who contacted us to share their deep fondness for him. Germans, French, Italians, and Norwegians. Canadians, Moroccans, British, and Dutch. The outpour of affection is a tribute to the man he was and the life he lived. When I was a kid my father was relatively small among his sailors and fellow officers, mild tempered but strict, and quiet. His unassuming nature combined with his sense of humor made him extremely likeable. Many of my friends couldn’t believe that my dad played the drums, the guitar, and the piano—nor that he was ever in a band. He played music in the Navy around the world. He fought a war and spoke Russian and French. He lived in 6 countries and on the oceans surrounding many more. Nobody would have known this unless they asked about his past. Nobody would have guessed. My father was all about hard work, sacrifice, and responsibility. He also knew how to make a kid dream, learn, and love. He came to me with values that he must have nurtured in Hillsdale, with his parents, aunt and uncle, and friends. His passion and drive must have grown out of his youth with his friends in Hillsdale. I met Garry when he was thirty and knew him for 33 years. I miss him and so does the rest of his family.
I remember the young boy playing ice hockey on Ludwig's Pond in Hillsdale. Thank you for the letter about his wonderful life. It is very touching that his gave his life for his grandchildren.
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Astrid (Arti) Madsen (Baruth)
Submitted by Nilse Ryman, Son of Garry RymanI met Garry Ryman in 1971. He was 30 years old and was returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam as a Naval Intelligence Officer. He was coming to meet me for the first time. I was with my mother, Frances, and sister, Anne. We were in Morocco, North Africa, where my mother’s parents lived.
Garry had met my mother in Morocco 4 years earlier. He was stationed at the naval base there and fell in love with her immediately. Her family was American and French and had been in Morocco for a couple of generations. My parents took off to Maryland in 1967 and got married. My sister was born in Edzel, Scotland in 1969 while my father was stationed there for a short while.
For the next few years he served on various ships in the Pacific and the Mediterranean. Much of this was only known to us much later. He would return for short periods and go back. We then settled down in Virginia Beach and then Washington DC.
In 1978 our family moved to Germany when my father was appointed Commander of the Naval Security Group there. We spent our weekends swimming, as he was the coach of our school swim team, skiing—he taught us to ski when my sister was nine and I was 7, or walking across the German countryside. After 3 years in Germany we moved to Belgium, and more specifically at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe—known as SHAPE. This is the military Headquarters for NATO. This is where the family came of age over 8 years—where my sister and I attended high school and where my father retired from the Navy to become a NATO intelligence chief.
Garry died in Brazil in 2004. He died saving his grandchildren from drowning. His death still resonates deeply in our family and among our friends. The shock was only matched by the broad impact at SHAPE, among friends from around the world. So many kind friends who contacted us to share their deep fondness for him. Germans, French, Italians, and Norwegians. Canadians, Moroccans, British, and Dutch. The outpour of affection is a tribute to the man he was and the life he lived.
When I was a kid my father was relatively small among his sailors and fellow officers, mild tempered but strict, and quiet. His unassuming nature combined with his sense of humor made him extremely likeable. Many of my friends couldn’t believe that my dad played the drums, the guitar, and the piano—nor that he was ever in a band. He played music in the Navy around the world. He fought a war and spoke Russian and French. He lived in 6 countries and on the oceans surrounding many more. Nobody would have known this unless they asked about his past. Nobody would have guessed.
My father was all about hard work, sacrifice, and responsibility. He also knew how to make a kid dream, learn, and love. He came to me with values that he must have nurtured in Hillsdale, with his parents, aunt and uncle, and friends. His passion and drive must have grown out of his youth with his friends in Hillsdale. I met Garry when he was thirty and knew him for 33 years. I miss him and so does the rest of his family.
Curt Plaskon
Thank you so much for writing about your Dad. To those of us who knew him in his youth, none of what you wrote comes as a surprise.Thanks again,
Curt Plaskon
Jane A Dreyer (Ost)
I remember the young boy playing ice hockey on Ludwig's Pond in Hillsdale. Thank you for the letter about his wonderful life. It is very touching that his gave his life for his grandchildren.Sue Martin (Monahan)
A beautiful tribute to one of the best! Sincerely, Sue Martin Monahan