Daniel Cody Ryan

Daniel Cody Ryan, age 72, passed away February 12, 2021. He was born in Columbus, son of the late John and Betty (Webb) Ryan, and a graduate of Upper Arlington High School and The Ohio State University. 

Daniel was born of a large Irish family who grew up on Brandon Road in Upper Arlington. He loved his siblings Steve, Emily, Judi, Bridget, Pete, and Andy as well as Peter Pan, King Kong and his Davy Crocket Alamo set.

His second family consisted of his close friends, the infamous DA’s, a group of notorious “potato chip” bandits.  The crew remained friends through thick and thin with recurring trips together to Florida to enjoy a poker match and play golf throughout their lives.  The friends supported one another as Daniel pursued his acting ambitions during high school and also during his years at The Ohio State University.

Once the Beatles hit the scene, Daniel found his passion in music.  This drove him to his days as a DJ where he found another music lover and the eventual mother of his children, Martha Jane.  The couple formed their family on the West coast where they celebrated bringing Jonathan Lee, Devin Patrick, Mary Meghan and Hannah Eileen into the world.

Daniel then moved into his professional career in advertising where he was known as the “Joe Montana” of the sales department.  With his success, he was able to bring the family back to his roots in Columbus where he wanted his children to know his parents before they passed and to form bonds with his siblings and their children.

The continued focus on family and tradition was a staple in Daniel’s life, as was evident with his devotion to his Catholic faith and involvement with the church and his children’s pursuits.  He was a coach for baseball and basketball teams for the kids.  He was an avid supporter of the creative endeavors of his sons and daughters as they expressed themselves through the same passion as he held, painting and music.  Daniel rarely missed a live performance and was the first to offer professional studio time using his connections in the local radio business.

Daniel was the type of father that painted his children’s nurseries with jungle scenes and magical creatures, drew caricatures on their paper lunch bags every morning, recorded bedtime stories for his kids to listen to if he had to work late, and even wrote and illustrated a children’s book called “Names Don’t Bother Me” starring Reggie the Rhino as a way to help his son Jonathan deal with bullying. His joy for fun and creativity could be a liability, like the time he landed himself a speeding ticket rushing to put money under his daughter’s pillow from the “tooth fairy”. They will miss him dearly and cherish all of the life lessons and keepsakes he left behind, including his “Prehistoric Poker” painting from 1986 depicting four dinosaurs playing poker which he eventually memorialized with the image placed on t shirts and hoodies for friends and family to enjoy.

His commitment to family continued with his marriage to Paula Majors.  The couple had shared experiences, albeit not together, with Paula having played a role in the same play that Daniel held the lead in, “Arsenic and Old Lace”.  The performances took place in different states and at different times.  They both lived for a while in the Bay Area and enjoyed the same music.  Paula’s children, Ryan and Abby, were immediately integrated into the tribe.

Daniel and Paula were regulars to recitals and performances of the shared grandchildren, driving hours in some cases to make such events.  The couple were generous with their time when it came to entertaining the elderly at local retirement homes, offering their gifts and shared passion of music to elevate the experience of the residents.

Daniel Cody Ryan was born to be a grandfather. His last day on earth was spent watching “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (again) with his two grandchildren, Berlin and Lennon. He told his son, Jonathan, that it was an absolutely “Great Day” when it was time for pickup. We know his Grandkids felt the same way when “Grandpa town” became “Nothing town” after he moved out of his last home.

Second star to the right & straight on ‘til morning, Pops. We will love, miss and honor you forever.

Daniel is survived by his wife, Paula & former wife, Martha; children Jonathan, Devin (Sacha), Mary and Hannah Ryan, Abby (Joe) Suarez, Ryan (Audrey) Sevenbergen; grandchildren Berlin, Lennon, Emi, Eli, Owen, Oliver, Lauren, Macy & Hadley; sisters and brothers Stephen (Terri) Ryan, Emily (Mike) Berend, Judith (Jack) String, Bridget Ryan, Peter (Laura) Ryan, Andrew (Khristy) Ryan; numerous other relatives and friends . Due to the pandemic a private funeral service will be held at EGAN-RYAN FUNERAL HOME NORTHWEST CHAPEL.  A public celebration of Daniel’s life will be announced later. Visit www.egan-ryan.com for messages of condolence and additional details. In lieu of flowers, friends who wish may contribute to the Lewy Body Dementia Association https://www.lbda.org/donate/ or St. John's Church of Columbus. https://www.stjohnschurchcolumbus.org/donate.html