Tom ' s daughter, Liz:“ We celebrate 55 years of dedication to Saint David’ s School. My dad has a gift for making people, especially kids, feel capable. Boys knew( my dad) genuinely cared about them, not just as students or athletes, but as people. One of the things that has always amazed me about my father was his ability to connect with every kind of student. Through sports, he taught his students about accountability, perseverance and confidence. He could find the positive in a 50-0 loss on the football field that would carry the team to the next game with confidence.”
Tom Ryan ' s son, Thom’ 89:“ I have the privilege of being one of the many people whose lives have been changed by my dad. My dad has the rare ability to make every person he meets feel important, whether a student, colleague, umpire, former coach … He was my teacher, coach, dad, and eventually one of my closest friends … The greatest gift he ever gave me was watching him do the right thing. The right thing is never the convenient thing, rarely the popular thing. It is often the hard thing, but my dad taught me that your character is defined when no one is looking. He didn’ t just teach that lesson, he lived it... I look around and see the true measure of my dad’ s career. He impacted thousands of lives, one person at a time.”
HEADMASTER O’ HALLORAN referenced the spring Alumni Parents Council Lecture that Chris Beha’ 94 delivered about the Greek ideal of leisure( scholé) connoting essential time for self-improvement, philosophical contemplation, and intellectual pursuit— the highest forms of human activity.
“ Our modern concept of school comes out of this idea of scholé or leisure. If we stayed true to this ancient notion, we would live our lives doing that thing that gives our lives meaning and purpose... Not only has Tom Ryan found that thing that gives life meaning and purpose in his hobbies … he’ s found it in school.
“ From his earliest years as a rookie coach and teacher, through all his advising and counseling, his directing and administrating, on the field, the stage, and in the classroom, to his later years as a senior master and wise sage, Tom Ryan has milked life of everything it had to offer every day. He has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to instilling within all, the school’ s mission’ s ultimate aspiration and call, to be good men. His depth of character, profound good nature, humor, and critically reflective judgment embody the ideas and ideals of Saint David’ s initially conceived by our founders, and further embody the very mission of the school expressed in its motto: Ut Viri Boni Sint.
“ Tom Ryan has managed to live his life the way the ancients dreamed it. All along the way, he has instructed us on how to do the same. Not because he told us, but because he showed us. Tom Ryan is a man of leisure, Tom Ryan is a school man, Tom Ryan is a Saint David’ s teacher.”
Dr. O’ Halloran closed noting that, going forward, Saint David’ s Thanksgiving Food Drive will be named The Thomas J. Ryan Jr. Thanksgiving Annual Food Drive at Saint David’ s School.
“ Last week, I was listening to a chapel given by Bridget Gallagher. She was talking about a yearly family camping trip and her mother always told her that they should leave the campsite better than they found it.
I found Saint David’ s a pretty good place to grow up, when Mr. Hume took a chance on me. I’ m not sure if I actually grew up, but I sincerely hope that I left Saint David’ s just a speck better than I found it last century. I can’ t thank everyone enough for spending this night with me. I am truly humbled at the love that I feel tonight … God bless the school.”
— Tom Ryan
Summer 2026 • 77