Joseph Walker Ryan

Joseph Walker Ryan was born January 15, 1934, in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories Canada to M. L. ‘Mickey’ Ryan and Catherine Poitras Ryan, the middle of seven children, and passed quietly on July 7, 2024 with his beloved wife Marlene by his side. He grew up in Edmonton Alberta, Sherbrooke Quebec, and moved to Taft California in late 1961 with his then wife Gisele and daughter Denise.

Joe worked for Chevron from 1962 to 1992 as a mechanic at 11-C where he rose to become a master mechanic and supervisor of the fleet mechanics. He loved working with any vehicle and troubleshooting issues. For more than a decade before his retirement, he was the President of Chevron’s Credit Union in Taft.

He also discovered a love of golf, which he avidly pursued, most often playing at Buena Vista, but would frequently haul his clubs on vacation trips across the West. When he retired from Chevron, he spent several years working as a Caddy Master for the PGA Senior Tour at tournaments in Ojai and later Newport Beach. Joe grew to know numerous professionals whom he had followed for years. On May 17, 2014, at the age of 80, he finally achieved golf’s pinnacle with a hole-in-one on Hole 17 at Buena Vista, and the following weekend, he went skiing at Mammoth Mountain, another pursuit he loved and included in trips as often as possible.

He loved to travel, seeing new places and exploring historic locations across North America and Europe. But he loved the Canadian Rockies the best, and it was on one trip north that he found and met his beloved Marlene. They were married in 1996 at the Banff Springs Hotel.

In honor of an uncle he venerated, he became a Mason in 1968, eventually achieving the 32nd Degree, and served for many years as the Assistant Guardian to the Taft Bethel #38 of Job’s Daughters.

During the Korean War he joined the US Air Force working on the flight line, serving at Luke outside of Phoenix and later Elmendorf in Alaska where he had the privilege of working on U2s. The proudest moment of his life was being able to participate in an Honor Flight in 2017 where he was chosen to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery.

He is survived by his wife Marlene, his daughter Denise Ryan {Robert Rick), stepson John MacDonald (Jennifer), grandchildren Jessica and Justin MacDonald, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 29, 2024, at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 900 H Street, followed by interment at Bakersfield National Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. in Arvin, California.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Kern County Honor Flight, 8200 Stockdale Hwy., Suite M10, P. O. Box 255, Bakersfield, 93311 or to a charity dear to your heart.