Tributes

Jessica Ryan, born May 26 in 1975 in Hollywood, California, was a passionate adventurer who spent her life pursuing her dreams and making the most of the time she had. Though born in California, she spent most of her childhood in the nearby city of Reno, Nevada, where her love of animals and adventure was born. As a child, Jess took in any stray she could find, her only goal to give them the care and love they needed. But, much like her heart, Jess’s dreams were too big for just one town, and once she graduated high school, she took the opportunity to explore the world by joining the US Navy. As a Fighting SeaBee, Jess found a taste of the adventure she craved while she was stationed in the Caribbean, even braving two hurricanes. She ultimately found herself in Washington DC, where she met her husband, Sean. From there, a new adventure started. With her new partner in exploration, Jess lived in a total of six cities across the United States before the two settled in North Carolina. By then, Jess was the mother of four children, Sarah, Katherine, Ben, and Anna. Though she now had a duty to raise her children, Jess didn’t let that stop her from chasing her dreams and pursuing adventure. She was still quite the traveler, making it to 49 of the 50 states across the span of her life and only just missing out on Vermont. Jess didn’t limit herself to the United States, either, having traveled to 30 countries around the world throughout her life. Jess’s heart never changed, either. Regardless of age, she always loved animals, and they were a core part of her life at home and her life on the road. Many of Jess’s trips involved interactions with animals, ranging from swimming with whale sharks to feeding manta rays or baby pandas to rescuing baby sea turtles. She loved to surround herself with animals at home, too, adopting four shelter cats and constructing her backyard into a wildlife sanctuary so she could see the birds, rabbits, and deer. Jess hoped to one day open a black cat rescue, and though she never did own a shelter, she had the makings of one already at home. Jess was an artist. She constantly challenged herself to try new crafts, eventually becoming skilled at crafting quilts. Jess was also a doer. If she could dream it, she could do it. The culmination of her work over the years was achieving her dream of opening her own business in 2019 with her acquisition of the Hickory Wild Birds Unlimited store. Working the store was her passion and allowed her to utilize her artistic talents in the pursuit of her passions. Jess is survived by her husband, Sean, her children, Sarah, Katherine, Ben, and Anna, and her mother, Gloria Romano. A service in her honor is being held Thursday, January 28 at 6PM at Cavin Cook Funeral Home. For those who are unable to attend the service, you may go to the following link for the live stream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylPQcGtpEQc In lieu of flowers, and to honor her love of animals, donations may be made in her memory to the Humane Society of Catawba County or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving Jessica’s family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.

Tributes

Jessica Renae Ryan

May 26, 1975 - January 19, 2021