WORDS OF REMEMBRANCE
William Francis Ryder was the fourth of five sons in the family of George and Susan Ryder. His brothers were Rod, Harry, Pat and Jim. They obviously loved good strong Australian names that could be abbreviated! Bill was born in Murwillumbah on 24th November 1936, with the family home and dairy farm was in nearby Burringbar.
A significant person in Bill’s life was Josephite Sister Phyllis McCann who came across Bill at St Brigid’s Primary School in Burringbar. In the late 1940’s Phyllis was instrumental in an application for a Bursary to St John’s College, Woodlawn in Lismore. Bill won this bursary and began at Woodlawn in 1950 and there he also began a lifelong relationship and participation in the Society of Mary. The relationship with Sister Phyllis continued until she passed away just a couple of years ago aged 100.
Sport was always a significant part of Bill’s life: Cricket, Rugby League and of course the horses. Sadly, as a lad at Woodlawn, he suffered an ankle injury that had him in hospital for three months, but it came back to debilitate him later in life. In cricket later in life he managed to bowl out a whole team and had the maximum of nine wickets for just nine runs.
Bill finished at Woodlawn in 1954 and the following year moved straight to the novitiate in Armidale and then onto Toongabbie. He was ordained in 1961. This was followed by three years at University of New England obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree.
In 1966 he was appointed to Woodlawn. This was when I first came across Bill. His love of sport was always obvious. Straight after breakfast and before class he would give the cricket scores over the PA system when we were playing in England. The tone of his voice always showed that he had listened to it all night. He was a most gifted science teacher. He was given the “A” class or the most gifted class. His students did very well, and many went on to scientific careers. His class control was another thing! Being in the “B” class next door we could always hear the “rabble” going on in his class. I cannot voucher exactly for what Jim Murphy reported hearing… ”Who threw THAT orange” but I can say that it was very likely. Bill stayed at Woodlawn for thirteen years.
Bill moved to St Paul’s College Bellambi in 1979 where in 1980 he became Principal. During this time college combined with Holy Cross College, just next door to become Holy Spirit College where he was the first Principal together with Sister Maria Casey. Bill finished at Bellambi, in Wollongong in 1985.
1986 and 1987 Bill studied at Catholic University of America in Washington and obtained a Master’s in Religious Education.
The only word to describe Bill’s career is “UNPRECIDENTED”. Following his time in the US Bill returned to be the Principal of Woodlawn College from 1988 to 1993 then onto Marist Regional College in Burnie, as Principal and in 2001 he became our Provincial Superior until the end of 2006. That is truly a long haul in anyone’s language in leadership both in Education and Religious life. This achievement is not for anyone but for our Bill who became a devoted disciple of the Lord in the Spirit of Mary in the early 1950’s continuing to serve with great integrity and wisdom all his life. He was essentially very simple, fair and generous.
A recent letter from Susan Chen, who succeeded him at Marist Regional College in Burnie wrote:
“Bill was a highly respected principal at Marist Regional College who cared deeply for the students and staff. He believed in the essential goodness of each person. He was an intelligent man with a gentle manner. I remember at leadership team meetings when sometime, after energetic discussion amongst the participants, Bill would appear to wake from a nap, carefully summarise the issues and make a suggestion that provided a well considered and clear way forward. I couldn’t help thinking occasionally that I wished he had made his contribution earlier and saved us all the wangling!”
Bill is very well remembered during his time as Provincial for encouraging the growth in Marist Laity Australia.
Bill had many friends during his long life. Paul Cooney, Bob Barber and John Worthington would be there to make sure that he “keeps his powder dry”, places a good bet and finds a decent feed. Paul Cooney described him after he finished as Provincial as a “man of deep faith and integrity and a confrere with a great commitment and love for the Society of Mary.”
Bill expressed great delight with Pope Francis and his mission in the church. Bill was just 24 days older than “Francis” and he chose Bill’s second name!
Bill and I came together in the same community in 2014 here at Montbel, he was the deputy leader of the community. Bill’s health began to deteriorate, including that ankle injury of the early 1950’s. It was a big thing to move Bill outside of our community to a nursing home. Bob Barber, his very dear friend and our Provincial at the time in 2017 and 2018 found it harder than Bill himself did. Bob insisted that he would talk with Bill “leave it to me mate!” then we didn’t see Bob for months! He went reluctantly to Marsfield for just one month in March 2018 but in less than 10 days he changed his mind. I confess to enjoying how I set up Bob Barber saying, “Bill wants to talk with you.” Then watching from a distance, the change in Bob’s face as Bill said he wanted to stay there.
In 2018 Bill and I flew to Woodlawn for the Golden Jubilee of my class group’s finishing High School. He was wheelchair bound but greatly loved and appreciated by the fellows all these years later. There was no shortage of good and sometimes true stories about Bill and of our time together as a class.
Bill began in the Nursing home with telephone, computer, internet and of course his TAB account. Then came Covid and lockdown and isolation. This coincided and or contributed to his dementia. During this time, he lost access to names but always had a smile that showed recognition. He enjoyed visits from Sister Clare Frances, our 100-year-old Marist Sister in the same Nursing home, from Paul Pidcock, Garry Reynolds, Tony Corcoran among others. He would make noises on the phone to show recognition when we spoke with his niece Sandra in Townsville. As recently as 24th March we were on the phone together with Harry Moore and he was especially in tune with the conversation.
I would like to recognise the wonderful care given to Bill over the last five years at Southern Cross Nursing Home, Marsfield and Dr Ray Silins who accompanied Bill during that time.
His faith was always there. He would always remember his prayers and generally could receive Holy Communion and the Anointing of the Sick. What was begun in Burringbar and nourished throughout the years, was never forgotten.
Singing was never one of Bill’s gifts. I told him recently that they were forming a choir in the nursing home, and they wanted him to be a part of it… then came the very clear phrase “not likely!”
On 24th November last year we sang him Happy Birthday, he gave a very clear phrase: “And for God’s sake, don’t send another one!” It sounded a bit like a joke but it was a very clear expression of his faith coming from a demented mind, expressing his openness to eternal life.
Fr Paul Mahony
20th April 2023