Leonard & Maxine Ryan Memorial Fund
The son of John Stephen Ryan and Elizabeth Therese Ryan, Leonard J. Ryan was born July 11, 1902 in Chicago, Illinois. He worked as an apartment and hotel manager, a field sales person, and in insurance. In his latter years he served as the Chief of Security for the Pick-Congress Hotel in Chicago, where many IU personalities often stopped for a frief visit. As a young man he was attracted to jazz music and musicians, and was involved with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, a Chicago Dixieland jazz band. He retained a lifelong interest in jazz and amassed a significant collection of recordings, some of which were donated to IU. Although he was not a graduate, he held a life-membership in the IU Alumni Association. Mr. Ryan died July 15, 1978 in Chicago.
Mary Maxine Mitchell was born February 7, 1906 in Ft. Dodge, Iowa. From her earliest years, Mrs. Ryan exhibited talent in music and theater by winning various performance competitions in Ft. Dodge. She graduated from Ft. Dodge High School and moved to Chicago, where she met Leonard J. Ryan. They were married in 1928 and had two sons (John and Leonard), and four daughters (Pat, Maureen, Ellen Therese, and Mary Maxine). She enthusiastically adopted Mr. Ryan's fascination with jazz and encouraged her children's interests in music. Mrs. Ryan died on August 12, 1978 in Indianapolis.