John E.H. Ryan, 45, died on May 16, 2012, while working in Colombo, Sri Lanka. John was born October 31, 1966, in Cheltenham, England, and spent many years of his youth in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, including three years as a lifeguard.

John was educated at Worcester Preparatory School in Berlin, MD, and The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA; Master’s degree from University of Texas-Austin; and Doctoral degree from Warwick University’s School of Business in Coventry, England.

John will be remembered for his passion and commitment to reducing the human footprint on the planet while opening economic opportunities for rural communities around the world. For over 25 years, he traveled the globe seeking fellow entrepreneurs and providing opportunities to enable them to create environmentally sustainable businesses. He will be missed dearly.

He is survived by: his wife Melissa Ryan of Arlington, VA; parents Leon and Janet Ryan of Lewes, DE; brother James and sister-in-law Loretta Ryan of Seattle, WA; sister Mary and brother-in-law Mike Roth of Wilmington, DE; and brother Leon and sister-in-law Candy Ryan of Birmingham, AL.

Private family services were held in Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, DE.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park or a local organization of your choice.

Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park - P. O. Box 132 - Nassau, DE 19969


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

IWMI memorial service / Colombo, Sri Lanka

"Sharing interpretations, observations, and assumptions and working together on narratives is one of the greatest joys. What I think any work should be about."
John Ryan

 
"John was a remarkably bright light - a true believer in the spirit of free enterprise and in one's ability to create exciting opportunities where others might see only impossible challenges."
Dennis Wichelns, IWMI, Senior Fellow, Colombo

"He was such a nice guy and indeed an inspiring person! An example for me."
Luca di Mario, PhD student, Cambridge, UK

"John did not just bring passion to his work - passion was a given. Above all he brought a certain honesty. John looked beyond organizations and strategies. His intellectual integrity constantly reminded us why we set out to do what we were trying to do. To all of us, John was a gentle, guiding friend.“
Avinash Krishnamurthy, S3IDF, India

"John was a deep thinker and had great insight into issues. I appreciated the deep perspectives he brought into our field of research." 
Olufunke Cofie, CPWF

"I very much enjoyed meeting John in Colombo and especially our discussion over breaks - he had an amazing career and inspiring ethical viewpoints. I'm sure he will be sadly missed by many."
Kate Medlicott, WHO, Geneva

"We do not only lose a good friend but also an important project partner."
Johannes Heeb, CEWAS, Switzerland

"I interacted with John during his visit to Accra. One week wasn’t enough and I was looking forward to meet him again some time soon... too bad this can’t happen. RIP John." 
Edmund Akoto-Danso, IWMI Ghana


"John made a big impression on me, particularly his enthusiastic character and dynamic approach to his work."
Fraser Sugden, IWMI Nepal

"John impressed me by his simplicity, his patience and his capacity to lead and motivate the whole team to perform. We will miss him.“
Josiane Nikiema, IWMI Ghana

"John had only been with us for a short time, but had already left his mark on IWMI through his enthusiastic and creative approach to problems in the RRR team. He will be sadly missed as a colleague and friend to many of us."
Colin Chartres, DG, IWMI, Colombo



Photos from IWMI trip to Accra, Ghana - March 2012


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