Lorie "Lori" Ann Ryan

Lorie “Lori” Ann Ryan, age 70, of Billings, passed away peacefully with her husband at her side on August 6, 2025, after a brave five-year battle with cancer.

Lori was born on June 6, 1955, in Great Falls, MT to Shirley (Adams) and Perkins Ouellette. The family moved to Billings when she was three years old. As the oldest sister, she was a natural leader and lovingly guided her younger siblings through childhood. This special bond with her siblings lasted throughout her life. The summer before her freshman year of high school, her family moved to Hardin, MT. Lori’s time in Hardin was a great period of her life, where she excelled as an honors student, built lifelong friendships, and was crowned homecoming queen.

Her true calling was being a nurse, as she loved caring for other people. After graduating from MSU and then completing her clinicals in Billings, she started her career as a nurse at 23 years old. She dedicated 43 years of her life to nursing at St. Vincent Hospital. She worked in many departments including the Intensive Care Unit and the Cath Lab, where she spent the majority of her career. Later, she served in the infusion center, from which she retired. Always striving to grow, she earned a master’s degree in healthcare management and took on a supervisory role on the orthopedic floor.

It was during her time at the hospital that she met the love of her life, Ed, a hospital employee, and together they built a 40-year marriage filled with love. Family and friends would say that Lori and Ed were a great match, complementing each other wonderfully throughout their life together. Ed would refer to her as “the biggest blessing in his life”.

She and Ed raised seven boys, spending countless weekends together at baseball fields, football practices, and track meets. She poured her love, time, and energy into each of them, always putting her sons first. She was always there to offer her guidance and support through every step of their lives.

Lori was an excellent baker; a skill she began learning from her grandmother Bingo at a young age and refined with her mother Shirley and stepmother Nona. As part of a yearly holiday tradition, her sister Linda would come over before Christmas, and together they would spend days baking hundreds of cookies (the neighborhood kids enjoyed this tradition).

Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her grandchildren. Every summer, her seven sons and their families would gather in the mountains of Colorado or Montana for a family reunion, giving her the chance to see all her grandkids. They would take walks, paint, share stories, play games in the yard, laugh together, and simply enjoy each other’s company.

Lori was preceded in death by her father, Perkins Ouellette; stepfather, Ron Adams; brother-in-law Rich Wynkoop; mother-in-law Dorothy Ryan; and father-in-law Charles Ryan.

She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Ed Ryan; her seven sons, Tim Ryan, Vance Ryan, Eric (Ingrid) Wulf, Brad Ryan, Marc (Shannon) Ryan, Bryce (Jeana) Wulf, and Scott (Johana) Ryan; her 16 beloved grandchildren, Haylee, Sydney, Kaden, Ella, Vaughn, Keira, Addison, Grace, Brooklyn, Cooper, Camden, Bennett, Sylvie, Owen, Levi, and Connor. She is also survived by her siblings, Terry (Robin) Ouellette, Leslie Wynkoop, Linda (Tracy) Barta, Reneau Longoria, Brett Ouellette, Nikki (Steve) Hopes, and Donny Adams; her mother, Shirley Adams; and stepmother, Nona Forrester. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins who cherished her deeply.

Lori was known as one of the kindest and sweetest souls that anyone could ever meet. She always carried a positive attitude and could find a bright spot in even the darkest situations, a characteristic that remained with her to the end. She touched countless lives during her time here, and her legacy of love and kindness will continue to inspire and impact others long after she is gone.