Frank N. Ryan Jr. of Beverly, a personnel manager who spent his working life hiring and paying other people and his retirement on the piano bench and behind a conga drum, died October 28, 2026, with his family around him. He was 96. He was the husband of the late Fay F. (Wright) Ryan.
He was born in Lynn, the son of Frank N. Ryan and Margaret E. (Crowley) Ryan, and graduated from the Lynn public schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University and an MBA from Northeastern University.
His career was in personnel management and technical recruiting. He chaired the Marblehead Personnel Board for eight years, chaired the Boston Bank Salary Survey and was an active member of the North Shore Personnel Association. In retirement he gave his time as secretary-treasurer of the Friends of Salem Council on Aging and as a volunteer at the Northeast Animal Shelter.
He was a sports fan from the bleachers at his children’s games to the couch on Sundays, and his family understood that any gathering would be scheduled around the Patriots. He played piano his whole life, and in his later years added the conga drum, joining drumming circles around the North Shore. For many years he danced and socialized at the Wonderland Ballroom. More recently he looked forward to the social calendar at Colonial Gardens, where he played Trivial Pursuit and poker with friends and sometimes took a turn at the community piano.
He leaves his daughter, Jane Ryan of North Reading; his son, Gregory Ryan and his wife Jodi of Shrewsbury; his daughter-in-law Reny; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren, who knew him as Big Papa and Big Frank. His son Jeffrey Ryan of Pleasant Hill, California, died before him.
A private service was held at Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead. Arrangements are by Berube and Sons Funeral Home, 191 Lafayette Street, Salem.
Compiled from information published by Berube & Sons Funeral Home, Inc.. Photograph courtesy of the family via Berube & Sons Funeral Home, Inc.. This is our own summary, not the family’s obituary; read the full obituary and leave a condolence at the funeral home’s page on Legacy.com. Corrections: we will fix any error promptly.
