Biography

04/27/1932 - 03/29/2003


Delaware County (1967-2002), Chester and Delaware Counties (2003)

RYAN, Matthew J., a Representative from Delaware and Chester Counties; born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa., April 27, 1932; graduated, St. Joseph’s Preparatory School; B.S., Villanova University, 1954; LL.B., Villanova University Law School, 1959; first lieutenant, United States Marine Corps (1954-1956); first lieutenant, United States Marine Corps Reserve (1952-1960); attorney; elected as a Republican to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1962 and served 21 consecutive terms thereafter; elected, Majority Whip (1973-1974); elected, Minority Whip (1975-1978); elected, Majority Leader (1979-1980); elected, Minority Leader (1983-1994); elected, Speaker (1981-1982 and 1995-2003); appointed, Pennsylvania Commission on Interstate Cooperation (1967-1968); appointed, Joint State Government Commission (1975-1984, 1989-2002); at-large Republican Party Member (1977-1978); appointed, Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority (1981-1990); appointed, State Public School Building Authority (1981-1990); ex-officio, Select Committee on Rules Review (1993); appointed, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (1997-2002); Capitol Annex building dedicated, June 22, 1999, as the Speaker Matthew J. Ryan Office Building; died while in office, March 29, 2003 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; interred, Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

 

Archival Collections

Roger Nick Collection on Matthew J. Ryan, 1987-2003, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives, Harrisburg.


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