Barbara Rebecca Beecham Ryan, age 79, of Cloverport, KY passed away Sunday, February 18 at her home. She was born December 23, 1944 in Birmingham, Alabama, daughter of the late Wallace Leon and Martha Ellen Pitts Beecham.
Barbara was a 1963 graduate of Isaac Litton High School in St. Matthews, KY. She studied secretarial courses at Sullivan Business College in Louisville prior to her marriage to Daniel (Danny) LaMar Ryan on September 4, 1964 and then worked as a secretary for an insurance company in Bowling Green to help her husband complete his degree from Western Kentucky University. Later, after bearing three children and raising each of them to school age, she worked in the cafeteria at Apollo High School in Owensboro and later worked 21 years as a clinical secretary for Communicare Clinic in Hardinsburg before retiring in 2010. She was a devoted wife and mother and an excellent cook. She enjoyed baking and decorating cakes and over the years baked many exquisite birthday cakes and wedding cakes. Ice cream cakes were her specialty. She also loved to read, and read many novels. She was a member of Bellevue Baptist Church in Owensboro, 1974 – 1986, then a member of New Clover Creek Baptist Church in Hardinsburg, 1986 to present, each where she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. After retirement, she took art classes and painted some beautiful pieces.
Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, was her only brother, Mark Wayne Beecham of Tucson, AZ; two brothers-in-law, Bobby Harris of Owensboro and Bill Richards of Cloverport.
Surviving, in addition to her husband of 59 years, are her three children, Cary Ryan (Anita) of Nashville, TN, Christopher Ryan of Hardinsburg and Dana Ryan (Larry Mattingly) of Hardinsburg; three grandchildren, Daniel Ryan and Nicholas Ryan of Nashville, TN and Rebecca Ryan Gallina (Johnathan) of Crossville, TN; and two step grandchildren, Nia Lytle and Analese Lytle of Nashville, TN; one sister, Betty Bussey (Robert) of Fairfield, CA; two sisters-in-law, Jeanette Richards of Cloverport, Ruth Ann Harris of Owensboro; one brother-in-law, Tom Ryan (Yvonne) of Hardinsburg; two nephews and six nieces.
The funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at New Clover Creek Baptist Church with Pastor Kyle Hopper officiating and burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held at Trent-Dowell Funeral Home on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 from 3 – 7 PM and at the church from 9 – 11 AM on Thursday.