Named Kevin O. Ryan, Jr. at birth but three days later Karen and Kevin Ryan, his parents, decided to change his name to "Daniel" after his paternal grandfather who was an Olympic Ice Skating Coach that died in 1960, when the American Olympic Team's plane crashed in Belgium. Most people knew him as Kevin because he decided when he was 18 to go back to Kevin. So, I'll refer to him as Kevin. Born July 21, 1982, born chunky made him the most squeezable baby in the world. Kevin played little league baseball every Spring and sometimes in the fall too.
One year, with his friends at Lake Lanier, my Daniel got a double dose of Irish from his mom whose maiden name was Bracken and of course Ryan from his dad, and you could tell it too. He loved life and having fun. Kevin just recently found a job that he really loved. He was so happy in fact I don't think I'd seen him so happy since he started this job. Kevin found he had a knack for collecting outstanding debts from delinquent companies.
He comes from a huge family on both sides and he is fiercely loved by everyone of us. Most of all Kevin loved his family. Kevin never once in his whole life, not when he was a boy, teenager, or a young man EVER said one mean word to his mother, and she will tell you she thought that was pretty unusual and very special. Kevin had an ability to sense other people's pain. Once when he was in the third grade, he was visiting his dad over at his grandma Wagers, Kevin found himself alone in the living room with the ex-wife of Rupurt Wager who Kevin's grandma was married to. Kevin at nine years old sensed she felt out of place, so he began talking to her about the baseball game on TV and in no time he had her laughing and smiling. Everyone was very impressed by his insight. We thought he would make a great psychologist.
He was a take charge kind of person and that made him a leader. Most of all, he was very sweet and kind. Kevin had a huge heart. He loved his cousins, especially Justin, Christy, and Kelly who he grew up with. They were like a brother and sisters and they felt the same way about him. Kevin was given an award for "The Player most likely to knock somebody's teeth out." He could hit a baseball hard and he never lost his love of sports to this day. He watched it all, even introduced his mother to Martial Arts. We loved watching Ronda Rousey and Connor MacGregor. Recently, he had been playing a lot of golf and said it was the most frustrating game. I called him "Happy Gilmore" because when he did get a hold of a bull, it went into Orbit. He loved water skiing.
Surviving is his father, Kevin O. Ryan, Sr. (Jennifer Lane); and his mother, Karen Bracken Ryan.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 pm Friday, November 8, 2024 at Townson-Rose Hayesville Chapel with Father Mike Donovon and Rev. Kenny White officiating. Burial will be in the Martin Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Josh, Chris, Kevin Ryan, Michael Ryan, Greg Hayes, and Justin Cherry. Fellow William Power Co-Workers will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Friday, November 8, 2024 prior to the services.
Townson-Rose Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements
You may send tributes to the family at
www.townson-rose.com
Yonna Yevonne McGuire 
