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


Monday, July 16, 2012

from Karl Boettcher // France

I'm so sorry to hear the news of John's passing.  He's truly going to be missed.

In fact, I was just thinking of the two of you as I returned from
Europe, as we talked about crossing paths in London or Oxford.  And
when I took my first drive down to the beach house, I instinctively
turned toward your old back porch as I pulled into the driveway. It
was always great to start a visit with a wave and a smile from
friendly neighbors.  I'll miss that, and also the colorful
conversations about travel and worldwide business adventures.

One thing I appreciated about John was his sense of practicality.  He
had an engineers love of materials, and a keen instinct for making
sustainable solutions work in the remotest parts of the real world.
I'm going to miss the stimulating interactions, chatting about our
latest projects and comparing notes on everything from 12 volt
renewable backup solutions wheeled reluctantly into the jungle, to eco
living structures.  I remember him as a renaissance man, master of all
the relevant disciplines.

I know there's nothing that I can say that can help make the rawness
of this tragedy go away.  But please know that you are not alone...
there are so many friends who are also bearing the weight of mourning
the loss of John.  I hope you can feel that our best thoughts and
prayers are with you as you carry on.

Sincerely,  
Karl & the Boettcher family
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