Lynus Sylvester (Pat) Ryan, 97, of Custer passed away peacefully Thursday, December 8, 2016, at his home.

Lynus was the oldest of five children born to Leo and Lillian (Meis) Ryan on April 2, 1919, on his grandfather's homestead in Kimball, Brule County, SD. After graduating from Kimball High School in 1936, he worked various farm jobs in the Midwest before joining the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937, where he was assigned to Camp Narrows at Blue Bell, SD. In 1940, Ryan began work for the Social Security Administration in Baltimore, MD.
Ryan joined the U.S. Army at Fort Meade, MD on July 12, 1941. As a World War II glider and powered pilot Ryan served in the 72nd Squadron of the 434th Troop Carrier Group, and was a veteran of Normandy (Operation Overlord), Holland (Operation Market Garden), and Germany (Operation Varsity) and flew supply missions in France and Central Europe. Following the war, Ryan returned to South Dakota where he attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, graduating as a civil engineer in 1949.
While still a student, Ryan was recruited into the South Dakota Army National Guard in 1948. During the aftermath of the 1949 blizzard, Ryan flew a ski-equipped plane delivering repair parts to snowplow crews and landed at ranches looking for folks that needed help.

On May 7, 1949, he married Frances Therese Wilder of Rapid City, SD.
In November 1951, as an officer of the 45th Infantry Division, Ryan was sent to Korea, as an engineer assigned to the artillery and flying fire direction missions. Ryan flew 250 flights in Korea, of these approximately 155 were combat missions.

After discharging from the Army, Ryan stayed in the Army Reserves and retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1976. Ryan continued his engineering career with the Army Corps of Engineers from 1953-1975 working on military construction which included the SAC Command Center, ABM Project, Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant, Air Force Academy, and NORAD Center.

From 1975-1986 Ryan established "M&R Land Surveying and Engineering" before retiring in 1986.

Lynus and Therese raised their active family of nine children in South Dakota, Nebraska and North Dakota, before retiring in Custer, SD. The family enjoyed many outdoor activities, including hunting, camping, canoeing, and gardening. In addition to spending time with his family, Ryan was also a dedicated parishioner of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and a committed member of multiple organizations including the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, National World War II Glider Pilots Association, Liaison Pilots Association, and Reserve Officers Association. Ryan was inducted into the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame as a Combat Air Crew Memorial Member.

He was preceded in death by wife, Therese, in 2009; grandson, Patrick Bartholomew Ryan; brothers, Wm. Mark and Leroy Ryan.

He is survived by two sisters, Veronica Gates, Carson City, CA; Mary Linard, Custer, SD; children, Cecilia Ryan (Jim), Glendale, AZ; Mary Frances Ryan, Mountain View, CA; Thomas Ryan, Williston, ND; Jean Doherty (Kevin), Franklin, WI; Kathleen Ryan, Custer, SD; D. Edward Ryan (Kristy), Ft. Payne, AL; Ellen Ryan (Kari), Boulder, CO; Susan Bailey (Joe), West Fargo, ND; and Leo Ryan (Lynnette), Jamestown, ND. Ryan also was the proud grandfather of 17 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, December 15th at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Custer, SD.

Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 16th at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Custer, SD.

The burial will be at 2:00 p.m., Friday, December 16th at Black Hills National Cemetery.

The family suggests memorials to the Custer Veterans Memorial Park.