On Wednesday, July 16th, 2025, Patricia Ann (Kohout) Ryan, mother of 9, grandmother of 29, and great grandmother of too many to count, passed away at the golden age of 97.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Gehlen Catholic Schools.

Pat was born August 2nd, 1927 in Fort Dodge, IA to Thomas and Mary (Rodenborn) Kohout. She was the middle child with 5 brothers and 3 sisters and was known to admit her dad "favored her in some ways." The Kohout's moved to Le Mars when Pat was a sophomore in high school. All her life, Pat enjoyed playing games and sports: from playing marbles with the boys, biking, softball and jumping rope as a child to swimming, tennis, and golf as an adult. But her lifelong favorite thing of all to play was cards: bridge, pinochle, hand and foot, and pitch. If the game had cards, she wanted to play!

During Pat's sophomore year at Briar Cliff College, she married James Ryan and became a hard-working farmer's wife and mother. Like her own mother, Pat enjoyed reading to her children and playing games with them. Both she and Jim instilled drive for education and going to college. After her youngest child was born, the older kids can remember her going back to Westmar College and studying with them on the card table. She got her teaching degree and taught at Gehlen and substituted at Remsen St Mary's.

Her whole life, Pat was involved in St. Joseph's Church and Gehlen. She went to daily mass, volunteered with Catholic Daughter's, chaired many Summer Socials, worked many funerals, was on the Welcoming Committee, brought communion to the homebound, was on their prayer chain, hosted exchange students and quietly donated to their needs monetarily.

She loved to travel and visit relatives. Many trips took her to the East Coast to see brothers Bud and Jack, Waterloo to visit her Ludwig in-laws, Phoenix to visit her son, Larry, Seattle to visit daughter, Sheila or Minnesota to visit son, Mike. Her favorite trip was Fr. John Volkuskas group trip to Rome and Israel with her sister, Jean and 3 Rodenborn relatives. However, she looked forward to the yearly Ryan Reunion at Yankton and having her family together playing games and enjoying each other's company.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband, James, and daughter, Carol (Ryan) Kessenich. She is survived by her children, James (Virgene), Tom (Jayne), Dan (Michelle), Larry (Colleen), Paul, Janet Pinkelman (Randy), Carol's husband, Joe Kessenich (Kathleen), Mike (Chris) and Sheila Wettengel (Bill), and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 21, 2025, at All Saints Catholic Parish – St. Joseph Church in Le Mars. Father Bruce Lawler will celebrate Mass. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation with the family present will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, 2025, at All Saints Catholic Church – St. Joseph Church in Le Mars. There will be a Catholic Daughters of the Americas Rosary at 3:45 p.m. and a Scriptural Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will resume from 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. on Monday at the church. Arrangements are with the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Expressions of sympathy can be extended to the family through www.mauerjohnsonfh.com .

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Gehlen Catholic Schools.