Biography:


Major General James A. “Jack” Ryan, United States Army National Guard (Retired), passed away peacefully on November 25, 2025, at the age of 95. He was born on December 4, 1929, near Gurdon, Arkansas, and lived a life marked by distinguished military service, leadership, faith, and profound love for his family.

General Ryan graduated from Arkadelphia High School in 1947 and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. His military education included the Army Command and General Staff College, the Army War College, and the Harvard University Executive Program in National and International Security.

He began his military career on June 14, 1948, enlisting in the Arkansas Army National Guard. On May 9, 1952, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served in numerous command and staff positions from 1952 to 1974. In September 1974, he assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry. He later served as Operations Officer of the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate) and subsequently as Brigade Executive Officer.

In 1978, he was assigned to the Headquarters of the Arkansas Army National Guard, where he served as Chief of Staff until his selection as Commander of the State Area Command. On September 3, 1983, he was promoted to Brigadier General, and in July 1984, he became Commander of the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate), serving until 1986.

In 1986, General Ryan’s leadership and reputation for integrity led Governor Bill Clinton to appoint him as the Adjutant General of Arkansas, the senior military leader for the Army and Air National Guard. In this role, he oversaw the readiness, modernization, and growth of the Guard during a period of significant organizational change. General Ryan served as Adjutant General for seven years, guiding the force with a steady hand and clear vision until 1993.

In 1993, General Ryan was selected by President Clinton to serve as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, the senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense on all Reserve Component matters. He retired from this position on September 16, 1994, after nearly fifty years of service to his state and nation.

General Ryan was deeply involved in civic and veterans’ organizations. He served as Vice President (Army) of the National Guard Association of the United States, on the Council of Trustees of the Association of the United States Army, was a member of the National Guard Association of Arkansas, Rotary International, and served on the Advisory Board of the Quapaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was also a former State Co-Chairman of United Cerebral Palsy.

His military awards and decorations include the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (with oak leaf cluster), the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with three hourglass devices), the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, the Arkansas Commendation Medal, and the National Guard Association Distinguished Service Medal.

General Ryan was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Coy Ryan; his eldest son, Colonel (Ret.) James A. Ryan Jr.(Barbara Ryan); and his three wives, Betty Wells, Alice Farney Ryan, and Wilma Shamburg.

He is survived by his daughters, Barbara Ryan Hesse and Patti Ryan Wingfield and her husband, Greg, as well as his son, John Patrick Ryan, and his wife, Lindsey. Jack cherished his eight grandchildren—Jenny Ryan Evans, Trey Ryan, Ben Ryan (Linsey), Hannah Wingfield, Joshua Hesse (Allie), Jonathan Hesse, Abigail Ryan, and Mary Claire Ryan—and delighted in his eight great-grandchildren, each of whom brought him joy and laughter throughout his later years.

A funeral service with full military honors will be held on Tuesday, December 2, at 10:00 AM at the Arkansas State Veterans Military Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Union Rescue Mission at https://www.urmissionlr.org.

Major General James A. “Jack” Ryan leaves behind a legacy built on service, loyalty, and love. He cared deeply for his Arkansas National Guard family, finding lifelong friendships and purpose among the soldiers he was honored to lead. He also held a special place in his heart for the State of Arkansas, whose people and communities shaped his life from the very beginning.

At the center of everything, though, was his own family. Jack was never prouder than when speaking of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. To them, he was not only a soldier and a leader, but a source of steadiness, humor, and unconditional love.

Jack will be remembered not only for his accomplishments, but for the way he supported and believed in those around him. His spirit lives on in the Guard he cherished, the state he loved, and, most of all, the family that meant everything to him.

Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com