Richard S. Ryan, of Concord, Retired Fire Chief (CFD), died on Friday, December 16, 2016 at Emerson Hospital. He was the beloved husband for thirty years of Judith (Holt) Ryan and the late Patricia J. (McCarthy) Ryan, cherished father of Michael W. Ryan and his wife Mary of Middletown, RI and Matthew L. Ryan and his husband Jonathan Cooper of New York City, loving step-father of Tania Gordon and her husband David of Solon, OH, Aaron Stern and his wife Rachele Manning of Natick, and Yuri Stern and his wife Eliza Minsch of Sudbury, dear grandfather of Callie and Jack Gordon, Belle and Addie Stern, and Ruby and Sabine Stern. He was also the brother of the late Molly Charbonneau and William G. Ryan, Jr. Chief Ryan was born and raised in Concord, MA. A star track and football athlete, he was All-Scholastic in both his junior and senior years of high school by the Boston Globe, Boston Traveler and the Lowell Sun. Also, a member of the Concord HS teams who played in the Piedmont Bowl in Winston Salem, NC in 1951 & 1952. After high school he went to Boston College and then later to Wentworth Institute and Northeastern University. He was a U.S. Army veteran during the Korean conflict. He was a Concord Fire Fighter for 33 years and served 18 of those as Chief. While Chief he belonged to the MA Fire Chief's Association, New England Fire Chief's Association, New York Fire Chief's Association and International Fire Chief's Association. Also during his life, he spent 34 years with the Concord Independent Battery, an associate member of the Yankee Division Veterans Association, Musketaquid Club, Lions Club and the Hudson/Concord Elks Club. In his remaining years he enjoyed babysitting and building toys for his grandchildren. Funeral was held Wednesday December 21st from the Dee Funeral Home, Concord followed by a funeral Mass in Holy Family Parish, Concord. Celebrant was Rev. Austin H. Fleming, Pastor. Officers and members of the Concord Fire Department and the Concord Independent Battery served as honor guard. Interment with military honors followed in St. Bernard's Cemetery where the Concord Independent Battery fired a salute. Concord's town flag flew at half-staff on Wednesday December 21st in recognition of Chief Ryan's service to his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict and to the Town of Concord. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Concord Firefighters' Relief Association, 209 Walden St., Concord, MA 01742.