Anne Marie Kieley-Ryan

For those unable to attend the funeral for the late Anne Kieley-Ryan, can watch live by clicking the link provided.

The family of Anne Kieley Ryan announces her peaceful passing on July 14, 2025 in St. John’s after a long and beautiful life. She was 91.

Anne leaves her cherished children, Beth (Steve Kiraly), Ken (Carol Ryan) and Karen (Darrin Bishop), with grateful hearts and so many wonderful memories. She made them the center of her world and served as an amazing role model. Anne was predeceased by her beloved parents Patrick and Mary Kieley and brothers, Jerome, Patrick, and Edward; her former husband and dear friend, Bill Ryan; her devoted and loving partner, Cecil Burke; and numerous members of the Kieley, Grace, Power, and Ryan families.

Anne was blessed with a large, loving family – including her siblings, Josephine (Bob Drodge), Mary Helen (Ray Fewer – deceased), Tom (Betty), Jenny Hardy (Bill – deceased), Elizabeth (Dave Lewis), Lorraine (Mike Scott) and Theresa (Leo Evans), her sisters-in-law Joan Murray (Jerome – deceased), Joyce Kieley (Patrick – deceased) and Marguerite Kieley (Edward – deceased) and her many nephews, nieces, and cousins. She remained close to the Ryans – her parents-in-law, Frank and Mary (deceased) and Bill’s siblings, Maureen (John Wood), Frank (deceased), Sister Rosemary Ryan, Cece (Al Knudsen), Joanne (Barry Mackinnon), Jim (deceased) and Kate Ryan, and John Ryan (Peggy Sue). She also enjoyed a warm connection with Cecil Burke’s children and grandchildren.

Born and raised in Holyrood, NL, Anne was a smart, outgoing and independent girl who moved to St. John’s at 16 to create a life filled with friendship, adventure, lifelong learning, and exciting opportunities. After business studies at St. Bride’s College (Littledale), she went to work at the Unemployment Insurance Commission in 1952. Anne joined the naval reserve two years later, ascending the ranks from Ordinary Wren to Lieutenant during a decade of service at HMCS Cabot. In 1958, she left her promising federal government career to pursue a childhood dream of becoming a nurse.

Anne enjoyed every moment of her nurse’s training at St. Clare’s and knew she’d found her calling there. After graduating in 1961, she nursed at St. Clares, Grace and Waterford hospitals, and with the Victorian Order of Nurses and taught at the General Hospital School of Nursing and at HMCS Esquimalt in BC. She joined the new Janeway Children’s Health Centre in 1967, working in the emergency, outpatient, surgical daycare, and psychiatric units before becoming an instructor in Staff Education. Anne’s talent as a teacher sprung from her own passion for learning. She completed post-graduate programs in psychiatry and nursing administration and studied adult education at Memorial – she was just a few credits shy of her degree when she retired in 1990.  After retirement, she spent another decade in health-related fields, including medical research, private duty nursing, staff training, homecare supervision, public health education, and medical exams. Being a registered nurse was an essential part of Anne’s identity and demonstrated her best characteristics – compassion, warmth, strength, resourcefulness and tenacity. She was a strong patient advocate who supported people as they navigated the health care system.

A true social butterfly, Anne came alive in the company of her many wonderful friends, remaining close to some of them for many decades. She loved organizing social activities – a class reunion, a family birthday or wedding, a fundraiser, or her “Night on the Town” events, which encouraged people to dress up and dance the night away. She volunteered in the community with Cabot 500, the Janeway Telethon, the Liberal Party, and Habitat for Humanity and was an active member of the NL Public Sector Pensioners’ Association, the RCAF Club, the ProBus Club, the 30-Plus Club, Positive Thinkers Club, and the Naval Officers’ Association.

Anne’s curious, creative, and energetic nature meant she explored many hobbies and interests – music, dancing (especially the jive!), singing, acting classes, creative writing, visual art, photography, and ceramics, interior decorating and design, gardening, cross-country skiing, walking, water fitness, swimming, reading, and following current affairs. An adventurous traveller, Anne visited 50 countries – highlights included the Great Wall of China, seeing pyramids in Egypt, the glittering city of Dubai, a chair lift to tallest point on the Isle of Capri, the White Cliffs of Dover, climbing a Jamaican waterfall, drinking a Singapore Sling in its namesake city, dining in an Irish castle, visiting locations of the Sound of Music in Salzburg, and cruising around the tip of South America.

Anne continued to enjoy regular bridge games and loved to go out for drives, lunches, dinners, and overnight trips with her children and friends. She was surrounded by many wonderful people throughout her life including the friends she met in every decade of her life and remained connected to, her former colleagues, and her neighbours, all of whom brought her so much joy. Anne was a doting godmother and honorary grandmother to many children in her circle.

In May, Anne embraced a new phase of life by moving to Lanes Retirement Living. She was thrilled to make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and immerse herself in social activities before her health started to decline. Her children greatly appreciate the care and friendship that the Lane’s staff and residents showed Anne.

Her family is very grateful to Dr. Sandi Ennis for her 16 years of thorough, kind and compassionate health care and her efforts to maintain Anne’s quality of life and to Dr. Sylvia Mouland, who took on her care once Anne moved to Lane’s. They also appreciate the excellent care Anne received from the kind and compassionate paramedics and the staff in the Emergency Department and 4 North A at the Health Sciences Centre. It was the high level of care she would have been proud to offer during her own career.

According to Anne’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A visitation will be held at Carnell’s Funeral Home from 2-4pm and 7-9pm on Monday, July 21, 2025, followed by a service of remembrance at the Carnell’s Chapel at 1pm on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Anne’s family invites everyone to join them immediately after for a reception and celebration of Anne’s life at the Elk’s Club on Carpasian Road.

Flowers will be gratefully accepted but we’d also welcome donations to causes dear to Anne’s heart – including The Food Sharing Association, the Gathering Place, The Single Parents Association of NL, Stella’s Circle or a charity of your choice.