Grafton – On Friday morning, March 14, 2014, surrounded by her family, Patricia A. (Norton) Ryan passed into eternal rest at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL. She fought the good fight against melanoma cancer, and she would want to continue to encourage everyone to be regularly screened for early detection.
Pat was born on February 17, 1945, in Troy, NY, and lived most of her life in the Grafton, Cropseyville, Troy area. More recently she called North Port, FL, her home since her retirement from the U.S. Postal Service. 
Pat is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Francis X. Ryan, and her brother, William Norton, both of North Port. She was pre-deceased by her sisters, Sr. Catherine Norton and Jacqueline Keefe, her nieces, Kelly Hayward and Susan Shields Dantz, and her unofficially adopted son, Shayne “Potsie” Lavoie. The long list of broken hearts left behind includes her children, Gretchen and David DeBerry of Albany, NY, Rebecca Ryan of Albany, Bridget Ryan of Troy and Kevin Ryan of Grafton, NY. Her devoted grandchildren, Michaela, Jordan and Julia, were her world and her joy. The newest light in Pat’s life was her great-grandchild, Kyrese. She will also be missed by her aunt, Ronnie Norton, her cousins, Marlene, wife of the late Bob Norton, Bill Boyland, Ann Marie and Wes Cross, her nieces and nephews, Wendy Shields-Miller and Matthew Shields and Kathryn Norton and Leslie Norton-Combs, as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and the various strays that she had pulled into her life along the way and loved as her own. Her friends were her family, and everyone who knew her benefitted from her endless capacity for giving and for enjoying life. The list is endless but most special are her friends Ann McGrath of Grafton and Carroll and Anne of North Port.
Pat worked diligently at the United States Postal Service as a clerk, Postmaster of both the Grafton and Petersburgh Post Offices and OHNA in Albany and will be remembered as tough but fair. She fought with everything she had for something she thought was right but would be quite frank if she thought someone needed to be reminded to “straighten up and fly right.” She graduated from Catholic Central High School in Troy and was a longtime member of St. John Francis Regis Church in Grafton. She returned to Maria College when her children were older and received her Bachelor’s and her Nursing degree in 1984. She taught all who knew her that it was never too late to strive for excellence, that there wasn’t a time limit on doing new things and that the window of opportunity never closes.
Pat was involved in rescue organizations for Japanese Chins and Pink, Kalei, Yoko, Bindi, Randa and Major learned to love and trust humans again because of her. She enjoyed mahjongg, the pool, her crafts and retail therapy. She will be remembered as that cute lady who matched all her clothes like an Easter egg, had a cool tattoo and earrings, loved shopping and shoes and antioxidants and was a life force that took care of so many, so very effortlessly. She lived every second of her life with joy and vigor, and, up until her very last decisions, she protected those she loved and cared for most. And finally, she would say, “What the hell…”
Private arrangements have been made, but the family will host a life celebration for family and friends in early summer, once they have returned home. In lieu of flowers, Pat would have appreciated donations to any animal rescue organization but specifically to Luv A Chin Rescue, P.O. Box 11152, St. Paul, MN, 55111. Donations can be made via check. Paypal donations are also accepted at http://luvachinrescue.org/home.html. The Paypal email address is info@luvachinrescue.org.