Mrs. Margaret Ryan was the mother of Sean Ryan, Peter Ryan, Daniel Ryan and finally James Ryan. She lived in Payton, Iowa. It is unknown who her husband was.
Life with her Children
She lived in the countryside with her four sons and owned a farm. Not much else is known except that she took a picture of her sons in their uniforms before they all left for basic training.
Receiving the Telegrams
Once her sons left for training she was on her own for two years. Around June the 9th, 1944, (shortly after D-day) she was washing some dishes when she noticed a black car coming up the road. She noticed the symbol on the car was an army symbol and realised one of her sons had been killed causing her to prepare herself to be told that one or several of her sons had been killed. She made her way to the door and opened it and went outside. She dropped to her knees and was told the news that her three eldest children were dead.
Receiving the letter
Sometime later she received a letter from George C. Marshall informing her that her youngest son, Ryan, was safe and returning home and it came with a prayer to try to sustain the suffering she and Ryan now had to live with.
She then lived the rest of her life with James at her side. She eventually had a daughter in law who had married her son Ryan. She had grandchildren and (if she lived long enough) great grandchildren.