Tommie Jean Ryan

Tommie Jean Ryan, an Atlanta native for more than half a century died peacefully on Saturday, June 21, 2008 at Emory University Hospital. The daughter of Cecil Howard Ryan and Pauline Simmons Ryan, she was born August 21, 1918 in Kewanee, MS, near Meridian. She was educated in the public schools of Lauderdale County, MS, where she graduated from Dixie High School in 1936. She continued her education at Mississippi Woman's College (William Carey University) in Hattiesburg, MS, where she graduated in 1940. After employment for a brief period in Meridian, MS, she accepted a position with Mutual of New York (MONY) in Jackson, MS, where she progressed within the company to a position of respect and trust from her superiors for a period of 17 years. Through promotions and as a reward for exceptional service, she was transferred to the corporate office in Atlanta, where she was the Senior Executive Administrative Assistant until her retirement in 1985. A long time patron of the arts in Atlanta, she enjoyed the many offerings of Atlanta's cultural community. As an active member of the Georgia Beta Sorority, she made lifelong friends who were loyal to her until her death. Ms Ryan had eclectic interests that included the arts and traveling throughout Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world throughout her life. She enjoyed life to the fullest and was devoted to her family, including nephews, nieces and their children. She was a Baptist, having been baptized in the Kewanee, MS Baptist Church as a child. She is much beloved by her family and friends and will be sorely missed by a host of admirers. The family expresses sincere and heartfelt appreciation to her physicians and nurses at Emory University Hospital as well as her caretakers.  Ms Ryan is survived by a brother, Paul Ryan, of Forest, MS and a sister, Mary Ryan Anderson of Macon, MS, eight nephews and two nieces. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Cecille Ryan Lewis of Meridian and Edith Ryan Pickett of Kewanee, MS. Pallbearers will include her nephews Robert Lewis, Manning Pickett, Gary Pickett, Clayton Anderson, Neal Anderson, Ryan Anderson and Michael Ryan. Visitation will be Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at James Webb Funeral Home, Meridian, MS with interment in the Kewanee, MS cemetery on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. within sight of her childhood home where she was born and reared. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice, The Atlanta Symphony Friends Fund or Emory University Cancer Research Fund.